Estimate of Genotypic and Phenotypic Correlation and Path Coefficients in Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Abstract

The significant positive correlation of phenotypic and genotypic performance as well as path correlation of crops helps in selection of the superior cultivars. Based upon important significance of these estimates, it was applied in our research. For this an experiment was conducted on different genotypes during crop season of Rabi 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 under normal (non-stressed) or (heat-stressed) conditions. With the aim of to work out direct and indirect effects of different characters on yield. The field experiments were planted comprising 80 germplasm of bread wheat. Therefore, our experimental trials were conducted in 12 environments (E1 to E12), for the identification of superior yielding and stable germplasm accessions possessing heat-stress tolerance. The field experiments were laid out in Augmented Block Design (ABD). Observations were recorded on twenty -six quantitative characters. Grain yield per plant showed significant positive association with Grain weight per spike (0.7998**), followed by Harvest index (0.7768**), Spike bearing tillers per plant (0.6627**), Number of grain per plant (0.658**), Plant biomass (0.5754**), Grain length (0.4203**), Spike length (0.3174**), Number of grain per spike (0.2734 *). And significant negative association with Peduncle length (-0.4282**), Plant waxiness (0.291**), Plant height (-0.258*), Chlorophyll content (-0.254*). Grain yield per plant showed highly significant positive association with spike bearing tillers per plant (0.634**), grain weight per spike (0.662**), number of grain per plant (0.550**), plant biomass (0.465**), number of grain per spike (0.166**), flag leaf area (0.1431*), flag leaf length (0.127*).