STUDIES ON GENETIC PARAMETERS, CHARACTER ASSOCIATION AND PATH ANALYSIS OF YIELD AND ITS COMPONENTS IN BARNYARD MILLET (ECHINOCHLOA FRUMENTACEA)

S. JYOTHSNA¹, T.S.S.K. PATRO²*, Y. SANDHYA RANI³, B. NEERAJA⁴, S. ASHOK⁵, U. TRIVENI^6
1A.N.G.R Agricultural University, Agricultural Research Station, Vizianagaram, 535 001, A.P., India
²A.N.G.R Agricultural University, Agricultural Research Station, Vizianagaram, 535 001, A.P., India
³A.N.G.R Agricultural University, Agricultural Research Station, Vizianagaram, 535 001, A.P., India
⁴A.N.G.R Agricultural University, Agricultural Research Station, Vizianagaram, 535 001, A.P., India
⁵A.N.G.R Agricultural University, Agricultural Research Station, Vizianagaram, 535 001, A.P., India
⁶A.N.G.R Agricultural University, Agricultural Research Station, Vizianagaram, 535 001, A.P., India
* Corresponding Author : ars.vzm@gmail.com

Received : 28-01-2016     Accepted : 04-02-2016     Published : 21-02-2016
Volume : 8     Issue : 5       Pages : 1012 - 1014
Int J Agr Sci 8.5 (2016):1012-1014

Keywords : Genetic variability, Heritability, Genetic advance, Character association, Path analysis, Barnyard millet, direct and indirect effects
Academic Editor : Saghfi Siamak, Dr B. Bhavani, Asha, Andre Ohara
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : Necessary facilities provided by Agricultural Research Station, Vizianagaram are acknowledged. The work was carried out by utilizing the grants received from All India Coordinated Research Project on Small Millets, ICAR. GKVK campus, Bengaluru.
Author Contribution : None declared

An investigation was carried out to assess the genetic parameters like variability, heritability and genetic advance, character association and path analysis for five yield component characters viz., plant height, number of productive tillers per plant, days to 50% flowering, days to maturity and grain yield per plot in 24 genotypes of Barnyard Millet (Echinochloa frumentacea ). The genotypic coefficients of variation for all the characters studied were lesser than the phenotypic coefficients of variation indicating the interaction of genotypes with environment. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance was observed for grain yield per plot indicating the importance of additive gene action in governing the inheritance of these traits. Hence, simple selection is effective to improve the respected trait. Association studies revealed that, four out of five characters exhibited highly significant positive correlation with grain yield per plot. However, the traits number of productive tillers per plant, days to 50% flowering, days to maturity were found to possess significant association in desirable direction with grain yield per plot at both genotypic and phenotypic levels. Path analysis studies revealed that number of productive tillers per plant, days to 50% flowering, days to maturity showed true relationship by establishing significant positive association and direct effect on grain yield per plant both at genotypic and phenotypic levels and plant height at genotypic level.