BGN 9: Genotypic correlation and path coefficient analysis in barley under saline-alkali condition BARLEY GENETICS NEWSLETTER, VOL. 9, II. RESEARCH NOTES
Prasad et al., pp. 77-78

II. 37. Genotypic correlation and path coefficient analysis in barley under saline-alkali condition.

G. Prasad, S.K. Singh, and R.S. Singh. Department of Agricultural Botany, S.D.J. Post Graduate College, Chandesar, Azamgarh, U.P. 276128, India.

Sixty indigenous and exotic cultures including some local collections of barley were grown in a randomized block design with three replications in saline-alkali soil with pH 8.5. Observations were made on plant height, number of ear bearing tillers, length of spike (awns excluded), number of grains per ear, harvest index and grain yield per plant. Path coefficient analysis was made on the basis of genotypic correlation coefficients taking grain yield per plant as effect and the rest five characters as cause, following the methods given by Dewey and Lu (1959) and Singh and Chaudhary (1977). Results are presented in Table 1.

Table 1. Path coefficient analysis showing direct and indirect effects of five characters on grain yield in barley, grown in saline-alkali soil.*

Genotypic correlations of all the characters with grain yield per plant were positive except plant height which showed negative correlation with grain yield per plant. Plant height showed negative correlations with other characters also, such as number of ear bearing tillers and harvest index. Length of spike showed positive correlation with grains per ear and harvest index. Partitioning of the genotypic correlation coefficients (Table 1) showed that the number of ear bearing tillers had the highest direct effect, followed by harvest index, on grain yield per plant. The direct effect of ear bearing tillers was reduced by the negative indirect effects through plant height, length of spike and harvest index, resulting in moderate value of the genotypic correlation coefficient. Similarly, the direct effect of harvest index on grain yield per plant was also reduced by plant height, ear bearing tillers and length of spike via their negative indirect effects. Plant height showed positive direct effect on grain yield per plant, although of very small magnitude. However, the indirect effects via ear bearing tillers, length of spike and harvest index were negative which resulted in the negative and strong genotypic correlation of height with yield per plant. The direct effect of spike length on yield per plant was negative, but the positive indirect effects via other characters compensated it and the correlation with yield became positive and strong. Direct effect of grains per ear on yield per plant was positive and of small value. The genotypic correlation was strengthened by the positive indirect effects via plant height, ear bearing tillers and harvest index. These findings indicated that ear bearing tillers and harvest index should be considered for selection program under saline-alkali condition.

References:

Dewey, D.R. and K.M. Lu. 1959. A correlation and path coefficient analysis of components of crested wheatgrass seed production. Agron. J. 51:197-203.

Singh, R.K. and B.D. Chaudhary. 1977. Biometrical methods in quantitative genetic analysis. Kalyani Publ., New Delhi.

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