Evaluation of maize 3-way crosses through genetic variability, broad sense heritability, characters association and path analysis

In a study conducted at Maize Research Station, AARI, Faisalabad during kharif, 2005, twenty 3-way crosses along with two checks were evaluated for cobs per plant, plant height, cob height, days to 50 percent tasselling, days to 50 percent silking and grain yield per plant. Phenotypic coefficient of variability, genotypic coefficient of variability, and broad sense heritability, correlations and path coefficients were computed. The data revealed that cob height and grain yield per plant had comparatively higher genotypic and phenotypic variability whereas days to 50 percent tasselling, days to 50 percent silking and grain yield per plant had comparatively higher broad sense heritability. Plant height had highly significant genotypic and phenotypic association with cob height and days to 50 percent tasselling with days to 50 percent silking. All traits had significant genotypic association but non-significant phenotypic association with grain yield. All the traits exerted positive direct effect on grain yield per plant except days to 50 percent silking. Grain yield per plant is the only trait of comparatively higher genotypic/ phenotypic variability and broad sense heritability. So it is more reliable trait for its improvement for breeding material studied.