Correlation and Path Coefficient Analysis for Yield and Yield-related Traits in Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

The significant positive correlation of phenotypic and genotypic performance as well as path correlation of crops helps in selection of the superior cultivars. Based upon important significance of these estimates, it was applied in our research. For this an experiment was carried out at the Main Experiment Station of the Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Narendra Nagar (Kumarganj), Ayodhya (U.P.) during Rabi season of 2021-22. The experimental materials in the present study seventy-five genotypes of wheat including three checks viz., NW-5054, HD-2967, HD-3086 were evaluated to estimate the correlation and path coefficients for yield. A study on eleven characters revealed that there was a highly significant and positive association of seed yield per plant exhibited highly significant and positive correlation with biological yield per plant and harvest index Also, the seed yield per plant exhibited non-significant and negative correlation with number of tillers per plant and days to maturity. The highest positive direct and indirect effect on seed yield per plant was exerted by biological yield per plant followed by harvest-index. The characters contributed negative direct effect on seed yield per plant were spikelets per spike and 1000-seed weight. on the other hand, days to maturity showed negative indirect effect on grain yield per plant. As a result, these characters should be given weightiness for the future wheat improvement.