Dissecting Yield Determinants Using Correlation and Path Coefficient Analysis in Field Pea (Pisum sativum L.)

Abstract

Pea (Pisum sativum) is a nutritious legume grown worldwide, used as vegetable (garden pea) and pulse (field pea). It is rich in protein and vitamins, and originated from the Fertile Crescent region. Present experiment was conducted on forty genotypes of field pea were procured from pea improvement project, JNKVV, Jabalpur, (MP). All these genotypes were evaluated at seed breeding farm, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Jabalpur. The experiment was conducted during rabi season 2019-20 in randomized complete black design with three replications. The observation were recorded on 19 quantitative traits to estimate genetic variability, heritability, genetic advance as percentage of mean, correlation and path coefficient analysis of field pea germplasm. The analysis of variance was found highly significant for all characters. High genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) and high phenotypic coefficient variation (PCV) were exhibited for number of pods per plant followed by biological yield per plant. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance as percentage of mean was recorded for pod bearing length, number of seeds per plant. Seed yield per plant exhibited positive significant correlation with number of seeds per plant, biological yield per plant. Path analysis indicates that the highest positive and direct effect on biological yield per plant followed by harvest index. The characters identified above as important direct yield component can be used in formulation of selection strategies in field pea for selection of high yielding genotypes.