Correlation and Path Coefficient Analysis for Agronomical Traits of Lowland Adapted Ethiopian Sorghum Genotypes [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] Genotypes

Abstract

The association of traits that may exist between or among sorghum characters is essential for breeders. Therefore, the present study is aimed to analyze and determine the traits having greater association with yield utilizing the correlation and path analysis for different traits of early and medium maturing lowland adapted Ethiopian sorghum genotypes. A total of 110 early and medium maturing sorghum genotypes were used in alpha lattice design which is replicated twice at two locations in 2016 cropping season.The results of correlation analysis suggested that the magnitude of genotypic correlation coefficients were higher than the corresponding phenotypic correlation coefficients for most of the traits suggesting that there was inherent relationship between these traits. Grain yield showed significant and positive phenotypic correlation with number of heads per plot (r=0.34**), panicle weight (r=0.19**) and hundred grain weight (r=0.21**). The strongest phenotypic association was observed between days to flowering and days to maturity (r= 0.53**) followed by hundred grain weight and plant height (r= 0.47**). In addition path coefficient analysis provides an effective means of finding direct and indirect causes of association.

Keywords: Correlation, Ethiopian, Path coefficient, Sorghum