Character association and path coefficient analysis in wheat(Triticum aestivum L.)

Forty nine genotypes of wheat were evaluated for 12 quantitative and one quality traits during 2010-11. The experiment was conducted in randomized complete block design with three replications at Crop Research Centre, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut. The mean, range, genotypic and phenotypic coefficient of variation, heritability in broad sense, genetic advance correlation and path analysis were analyzed. Plant height, number of productive tillers per plant, spike length, 1000-grain weight, biological yield per plant and harvest index were significant and positive correlated with grain yield per plant. The phenotypic and genotypic path coefficients exhibited high positive direct contribution of number of productive tillers per plant, plant height, harvest index and 1000-grain weight towards grain yield.The positive indirect effect of plant height on grain yield was registered via days to maturity, number of spikelets per spike, 1000-grain weight and biological yield per plant. Number of productive tillers per plant revealed contribution on grain yield via number of grains per spike, 1000 grain weight, biological yield per plant and harvest index revealing that indirect selection of these characters would be effective in improving grain yield per plant. Higher genotypic coefficient of variance along with high heritability and genetic advance for grain yield per plant, plant height, number of spikelets per spike, number of grains per spike and 1000-grain weight would also be of great use for indirect selection for improvement in yield per plant.