STUDIES ON PATH ANALYSIS IN FORAGE SORGHUM

ROHIT KUMAR, MOHIT SINGH, S. K. SINGH*, AKASH SINGH, BALWANT SINGH AND ATUL KUMAR SHUKLA
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, SVPUA&T, Meerut (U. P.), India
Department of Ag. Extension, SHUATS, Allahabad, (U. P.), India
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, BNPG College, Rath, Hamirpur, (U. P.), India
*(e-mail : shivkumar661@yahoo.com)
(Received : 01 August 2022; Accepted : 27 September 2022)

SUMMARY

Analysis of variance observed considerable differences among the genotypes for all the traits viz., days to 50% flowering, plant height, leaf length, leaf breadth, leaf area, stem girth, number of leaves per plant, leaf stem ratio, total soluble solids and green fodder yield, which indicates that wide spectrum of variation among the genotypes. Genotypic and phenotypic coefficient of variation were showed high (more than 25%) for stem girth, leaf stem ratio and green fodder yield, indicating that scope of importance with respect to these characters through selection. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance were revealed for plant height, leaf breadth, leaf area, leaf stem ratio and green fodder yield, which indicates that preponderance of additive gene effects for these attributes and hence may prove useful for effective selection. Correlation coefficient studies indicated that phenotypic correlation coefficient were found to be higher than genotypic correlation coefficients for most of the characters, indicating the phenotypic expression of the association were influenced by the environmental factors among the various traits. Green fodder yield recorded significant and strong positive correlation with leaf area at both genotypic and phenotypic level. Therefore, this character is useful to the breeders in selecting suitable plant type. Path coefficient analysis exhibited high positive and direct influence of plant height, leaf breadth, stem girth and leaf stem ratio towards green fodder yield. In order to exercise a suitable selection programme it would be worth to concentrate on characters like plant height, leaf breadth, stem girth and leaf stem ratio controlling green fodder yield directly and days to 50% flowering and number of leaf area governing green fodder yield indirectly

Key words: Sorghum bicolor, path analysis

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