Genetic Variability, Correlation and Path Analysis for Yield and Quality Attributing Traits in Biofortified Rice Genotypes

Abstract

In Kharif 2023, the current study was conducted at JNKVV, Jabalpur, to evaluate genetic variability, heritability, and the association between yield-attributing and grain quality variables in 72 biofortified rice genotypes and 5 checks using a randomized block design. Significant genetic variability was indicated by the analysis of variance, which showed very significant variations between genotypes for every characteristic under study. Grain production per plant, panicle weight, and the number of viable spikelets per panicle all showed high genotypic and phenotypic coefficients of variation. strong heritability and strong genetic advancement were seen in traits including harvest index, biological yield, and thousand grain weight, indicating a significant amount of additive gene activity. Biological yield, panicle weight, and spikelet fertility % were shown to be important characteristics that positively correlated with grain production using correlation and path coefficient analysis. A number of grain quality characteristics, including milling %, length-breadth ratio, and grain length, also shown a substantial correlation with yield. These results demonstrate how integrating yield and quality attributes in selection procedures can help create high-yielding, nutritionally enhanced rice genotypes that are appropriate for biofortification initiatives.