Interrelationship Patterns among Cane Yield Attributes and Physiological Traits in Sugarcane under Normal and Water Stress Conditions

Abstract

Differential pattern of association assessed in sugarcane under two water regimes revealed that cane yield had highly significant positive correlation with stalk length, stalk diameter and single cane weight under both the environments. Physiological traits like relative water content at 60 days after planting had a positive correlation with stalk length under both the environments whereas, it was positively correlated with stalk diameter (0.46) and single cane weight (0.45) under water stressed environment. Path analysis revealed that number of tillers at 240 days had maximum positive direct effect on cane yield followed by relative water content (RWC) at 60 days, stalk length, RWC at 120 days, number of shoots at 120 days and single cane weight. Stalk length, stalk diameter, number of millable cane (NMC), number of tillers at 240 days were found important for cane yield improvement, and low number of stomata, chlorophyll, specific leaf weight (SLW) and RWC at 120 days are associated with stress tolerance.