STUDIES ON GENETIC PARAMETERS, CHARACTER ASSOCIATION AND PATH ANALYSIS OF YIELD AND ITS COMPONENTS IN LITTLE MILLET (PANICUM SUMATRENSE)

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 : 1018 - 1020
Int J Agr Sci 8.5 (2016):1018-1020

Keywords : Genetic variability, Heritability, Genetic advance, Character association, Path analysis, Little millet, direct and indirect effects
Academic Editor : Dr Ali El-saied Sharief, Dr B. Bhavani
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 18 genotypes of Little millet (Panicum sumatrense Roth. ex. Roem. and Schultz.). 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 days to 50% flowering and 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, number of productive tillers per plant exhibited highly significant positive correlation with grain yield per plot at genotypic level. However, the traits plant height, number of productive tillers per plant and days to 50% flowering were found to possess association in desirable direction with grain yield per plot at both genotypic and phenotypic levels. Path analysis studies revealed that days to 50% flowering showed true relationship by establishing significant positive association and direct effect on grain yield per plot both at genotypic and phenotypic levels and plant height at genotypic level and number of productive tillers at phenotypic level.