Correlation and Path Coefficient Analysis of Grain Yield and Yield Related Traits in Maize (Zea mays L.) Hybrids, at Bako, Ethiopia.

Abstract

Maize is one of the most important grown plants in the world. Superior position of maize is due to his very wide and variety utilisation and because of that, the main goal of all maize breeding programs is to obtain new inbred lines and hybrids that will outperform the existing hybrids with respect to a number of traits. For efficient selection of grain yield, like the most important economic trait, in regard to its on the great influence the environmental factors, has complex mode of inheritance and low heritability, is necessary to know relation between grain yield and morphological traits which are influencing on the grain yield. One of the objectives of this paper was to determine relationship between grain yield and morphological traits. A total of forty eight maize hybrids produced through a  factorial Design II mating design and two standard checks were evaluated at Bako Western Ethiopia to determine the genetic parameters governing the inheritance of grain yield and related agronomical traits. The analysis of variance revealed that mean squares due to entries and crosses were highly significant (p<0.01) or significant (p<0.05) for most traits studied, indicating the existence of variability among the materials evaluated, which could be exploited for the improvement of respective traits. Grain yield showed positive and highly significant correlations with most traits except anthesis date at phenotypic and genotypic levels.  Ear diameter, length and weight, anthesis date, plant and ear height exerted positive and highly significant effect with grain yield. Direct effect and association with grain yield were positive at phenotypic and genotypic levels. Traits having strong relationship with grain yield can be used for indirect selection to improve grain yield because grain yield can be simultaneously improved along with the traits for which it showed strong relationship and  also imply that the desirable traits in these hybrids could be exploited in further breeding activities for the development of composites and synthetics for the resource constrained maize farmers who can not access hybrid seeds every year.

Keywords: phenotypic and Genotypic Correlation coefficients, Path coefficients, Grain Yield, Maize