Assessment of Genetic Variability, Correlation and Path Analysis for Yield and Quality Traits in Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) Faujdar J. S.1, Chauhan R.M.1, Bhardwaj R.2,* 1Department of Genetics & Plant Breeding, Chimanbhai Patel College of Agriculture Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar-385 506 2Division of Breeding and Genetics, Rajasthan Agricultural Research Institute, Durgapura, (Jaipur), Rajasthan-302 018 *email: bhardwajrahul4u@gmail.com
Online published on 2 January, 2017. Abstract Genetic variability, heritability, correlation and path analysis were estimated among twenty four genotypes of twelve characters in Pearl millet. The analysis of variance revealed significant differences among the genotypes for all the characters studied. This indicated the presence of sufficient variability in the experimental material. In the present study magnitude of genetic coefficient of variation (GCV), phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV), heritability and genetic advance as percentage of mean were recorded high for various characters like grain yield per plant, days to maturity, plant height, area of flag leaf, earhead length, earhead weight and thousand grain weight. Therefore, more emphasis should be laid on these component traits, during selection programme for further improvement of grain yield per plant. High broad sense heritability estimates were recorded for most of traits for days to maturity, flag leaf area, grain yield per plant, thousand grain weight, plant height, earhead weight, protein content and phytate content, indicating that these traits were less influenced by the environment. These traits can be improved by simple selection procedure. Genetic advance as percentage of mean was observed high for grain yield per plant, phytate content, plant height, days to maturity, thousand grain weight, earhead weight, flag leaf area, protein content, earhead length. Whereas, days to ear heading, days tomaturity, numberof effective tillers per plant, earhead diameter were showed moderate genetic advance. Correlation analysis suggested that the magnitude of genotypic correlation were higher as compared to their corresponding phenotypic correlations indicating the inherent relationship among the characters studied. Grain yield per plant exhibited significant positive association with plant height, earhead weight and positive association with number of effective tillers per plant, earhead length and earhead diameter at both genotypic and phenotypic levels. Path coefficient analysis between twelve characters as a causal variable showed that the number of effective tillers per plant had highest positive direct effect on grain yield per plant followed by earhead weight, earhead diameter, protein per cent in grain, plant height and earhead length. Result reveled that importance of positive direct contributing trait for, earhead length, plant height, earhead weight, protein cotent in grain were important in selection programme aiming grain yield improvement in pearl millet. These characters should high to moderate heritability along with genetic advance and genotypic coefficient of variation. Hence, these characters may serve as reliable selection for grain yieldimprovement in pearl millet. Top Keywords Pearl millet, Correlation co-efficient, Path analysis, Phytate content. Top |