Path Coefficient and Correlation Studies of Yield and Yield Associated Traits in Bread Wheat (Triticum Aestivum L.) Genotypes at Kulumsa Agricultural Research Center, South East Ethiopia

Abstract

Yield and yield contributing traits were studied in sixty four bread wheat genotypes using a simple lattice design in order to find out the genetic contribution of different characters towards grain yield at Kulumsa Agricultural Research Center during 2014/15 main cropping season. The genotypes showed significant variation for all the traits studied except for biomass yield ha^-1. Results showed that grain yield had positive and significant correlation with 1000 kernel weight, harvest index and hectoliter weight at both levels. Days to 50% heading exerted highly significant and positive association with days to maturity (0.79**), biomass yield per plot (0.55**), number of productive tillers per plant (0.47**) and number of grains per plant (0.43**) at genotypic level. Days to 50% heading had significant positive phenotypic correlation with days to 75% maturity and significant negative phenotypic association with grain filling period. It had non-significant association with the rest of the traits. Thousand kernel weight had positive and highly significant phenotypic correlation with harvest index (0.48**), hectoliter weight (0.51**) and grain yield (0.51**). Harvest index showed positive and highly significant correlation with 1000 kernel weight (0.48**), hectoliter weight (0.41**) and grain yield per hectare (0.86**) and non-significant association with the rest traits at phenotypic level irrespective of direction. Maximum positive direct effect was exhibited by days to 75% maturity (1.189) followed by harvest index (1.057). This suggests the correlation revealed true relationship and direct selection through these characters is effective.

Keywords: Phenotypic correlation, genotypic correlation, direct effect & indirect effects