Studies on Correlation and Path Coefficient for Direct Selection between Pair of Traits Using Green Fruit Yield as Dependent Characters in Okra

Abstract

The study was carried out at the Horticulture Research Centre, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture & Technology, Modipuram, Meerut (U.P.). The fourteen quantitative traits, thirty genotypes of okra were tested in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications during the summer season of 2021. Fruit yield per plant showed highly significant and positive correlation with plant height, fruit diameter, number of branches per plant, fruit length, number of flowers per plant, test weight and number of fruits per plant at both genotypic and phenotypic level, indicating mutual association of these characters. Path coefficient analysis exhibits positive direct effect was observed towards fruit yield per plant for number of branches per plant followed by number of fruits per plant, days to first fruit harvesting, days to first flower initiation, fruit diameter, plant height, days to first fruit set and duration of crop at genotypic level. At the phenotypic level also the estimates of direct and indirect were generally less than genotypic level. The magnitudes of residual effects were found to be small at both the phenotypic and genotypic levels. These traits could be utilized in a selection procedure for okra crop enhancement in the future.