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Genetic Variability, Correlation and Path coefficient analysis for Yield and
Quality traits in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Article  in  International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences · January 2020

DOI: 10.20546/ijcmas.2020.901.089

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 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2020) 9(1): 826-832

International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences

ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 9 Number 1 (2020)
Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com

Original Research Article https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2020.901.089

Genetic Variability, Correlation and Path coefficient analysis for Yield and
Quality traits in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Priti Kumari*, Nitish De, Anand Kumarand Anjali Kumari

Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour

(Bhagalpur)-813210, Bihar, India

*Corresponding author

ABSTRACT

The present study was aimed to estimate the extent of genetic variability for grain
yield & its components, genetic association, path coefficient analysis in thirty two
diverse genotypes of hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) at wheat section of
Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour during Rabi season 2017-18.High values of
phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation were higher for important traits
including seed yield per plant, 1000-grain weight per spike, respectively. High
heritability were recorded for zinc content, iron content,1000-grain weight, grain
yield per plant, days to maturity, grain weight per spike, days to 50%flowering
Keywords and biological yield. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance were
Triticumaestivum recorded for 1000-grain weight, grain yield per plant grain weight per spike and
L., Genetic biological yield indicating that these characters are governed by additive gene
variability, effects and directional selection for these traits would be more effective . Grain
Correlation
coefficient and path
yield per plant showed positive and significant association with grain weight per
analysis spike, biological yield, harvest index, 1000 grain weight, days to maturity and
grain yield per plant and positive and significant association with days to 50%
Article Info
flowering, number of effective tillers per plant and it was significantly and
Accepted: negatively associated with protein content and iron content. Path analysis revealed
15 December 2019 that biological yield had highest direct positive effect on grain yield followed by
Available Online: harvest index, grain weight per spike, number of effective tillers per plant, protein
20 January 2020
content and days to 50% flowering would be quite effective in improving grain.
The present study has clearly indicated the need for giving due weight age to grain
weight per spike, biological yield, harvest index, 1000 grain weight and grain
yield per plant for improving grain yield in wheat. The above mention traits
should be given due emphasis for future wheat genetic improvement because they
possess high genetic variance, heritability coupled with high genetic correlation
among themselves which may yield high genetic advance under proper selection
pressure in a breeding programme.

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Introduction the study of yield contributing characters

(Mahajanet al., 2011). Path coefficient
Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a hexaploid analysis is an important technique for
(2n = 6x = 42 = AABBDD genomes), annual partitioning the correlation coefficient into
and self-pollinated cereal which is grown direct and indirect effect of the causal
worldwide. It belongs to tribe "Triticeae" of components on the complex component. The
the family "Gramineae". Wheat was one of adequate information on extent of variability
the first domesticated food crops which was may also be helpful to improve the yield by
evolved in the Fertile Crescent of the Middle selecting the yield component traits (Mehandi
East and has become a basic staple food of the et al., 2013).
present day human population (As stated by
Mergoum et al., 2009). Today, wheat is Materials and Methods
grouped among the big three cereal crops of
the world with its high tons of grain yield The experimental materials consisted of thirty
being harvested annually (Shewry, 2009). The two genotypes of wheat were grown in a
major wheat producing countries are China, randomized block design with three
India, USA, Russian Federation, Canada, replications at wheat section of Bihar
Australia, etc. Cultivation spread to the Near Agricultural University, Sabour (Bhagalpur),
East by about 9000 years ago when hexaploid Bihar, India during 2016-17. The observations
bread wheat made its first appearance were recorded on five randomly selected
(Feldman, 2001). Wheat has been described competitive plants from each genotype in
as the ‘King of cereals’ because of the each replication on fourteen agro-
acreage it occupies, high productivity and the morphological characters viz; days to 50%
prominent position holds in the international flowering, days to maturity, plant height (cm),
food grain trade. The record production in the number of effective tillers per plant, spike
country during last few years has enabled length (cm), number of grains per spike,grain
India to attain the position of being second weight per spike,1000 grain weight (g),
largest producer of the wheat in the world. biological yield per plant (g), grain yield per
Wheat covers 225.06 million ha area, 739.96 plant, harvest index (%), protein content, iron
million metric tons production and content and zinc content. The treatment
productivity was 3.28 million ton/ ha (FAO means for all the characters were subjected to
STAT., 2016). India covers 30.72 million ha compute the analysis of variance on the basis
area, 97.44 million tons production and of model proposed by Panse and Sukhatme
productivity 3172 kg/ha. Bihar state covers (1969). The phenotypic and genotypic
20.95 million ha area, 47.18 million tons coefficients of variation were estimated
production and productivity was 2252 kg/ha according to Burton and Devane (1953),
(Directorate of Economics and Statistics. heritability, genetic advance and correlation
2016-17). coefficients were analyzed.

Yield is complex trait; therefore, we have to Results and Discussion

find out which components contribute more to
yield. The estimates of correlation The analysis of variance revealed highly
coefficients alone may be often misleading significant differences among the genotypes
due to mutual cancellation of component for all the traits studied. This in turn indicated
characters. So, study of correlation coupled that there was sufficient variability in the
with a path analysis is more effective tool in material studied, which could be utilized in

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further breeding programme. Similarly, many advance are important selection parameters.
earlier workers, Bhushan et al., (2013), Heritability estimates along with genetic
Degewione et al., (2013), Fellahi et al., advance are normally more helpful in
(2013), Kumar et al., (2014) and Yadav et al., predicting the gain under selection than
(2014) reported high variability for different heritability estimates alone (Johnson et al.,
traits in bread wheat which provides ample 1955).The high heritability accompanied with
scope for selecting superior and desire high genetic advance were recorded by 1000-
genotypes by the plant breeder for further grain weight, grain yield per plant grain
improvement. The estimates of PCV were weight per spike and biological yield, it
found higher than GCV for 1000-grain indicates that most likely the heritability is
weight, grain yield per plant and grain weight due to additive gene effect and selection may
per spike, this may be due to the non-genetic be effective in early segregating generation
factor which played an important role in the for these traits.. Hence, direct selection can be
manifestation of these characters. The done through these characters for future
characters with high phenotypic coefficient of improvement of genotypes for higher grain
variation indicated more influence of yield. Similar results were also reported by
environmental factors. Therefore, caution has earlier workers (Islam et al., 2012; Singh et
to be exercised during the selection al., 2014 and Yadav et al., 2014, Avinashe et
programme, because the environmental al., 2017).
variations are unpredictable in nature and may
mislead the results. Wide ranges of variance The study of inter-relationship among various
(phenotypic and genotypic) were observed in characters in the form of correlation is one of
the experimental material for all the the important aspects in selection programme
characters under investigation. Heritability for the breeder to make an effective selection
(broad sense) estimated for the fourteen based on the correlated and uncorrelated
character was ranged from 31% (protein response. The phenotypic and genotypic
content)to 89% (days to 50% flowering). phenotypic correlations between grain yield
High heritability were recorded for zinc and its component characters are
content, iron content,1000-grain weight, grain presented in Table 3. Higher magnitude of
yield per plant, days to maturity, grain weight genotypic correlation helps in selection for
per spike, days to 50%flowering and genetically controlled characters and give a
biological yield. High heritability value for better response for seed yield improvement
these traits indicated that the variation than that would be expected on the basis of`
observed was mainly under genetic control phenotypic association alone (Robinson et al.,
and was less influence by environment. So, 1951).Grain yield per plant showed positive
these traits may be used as selection criteria and significant association (Table-3) with
for yield improvement in confirmation with grain weight per spike (0.5724**) followed
the result of earlier workers viz., Islam et al., by biological yield (0.5180**) harvest index
(2012), Kumar et al., (2014) and Fellahi et al., (0.4198**) 1000 grain weight (0.3106**)
(2013). Genetic advance as percent of mean days to maturity (0.3096**) and grain yield
was ranged from days to maturity (6.29)to per plant and positive and significant
1000 grain weight(40.85). The highest association with days to 50% flowering
magnitude of genetic advance as percent of (0.2509*), number of effective tillers per
mean was observed for 1000 grain weight, plant (0.2024*) and it was significantly and
grain weight per spike,, grain yield per plant negatively associated with protein content and
and biological yield. Heritability and genetic iron content. Hence selection for traits viz.,

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grain weight per spike, biological yield, was being observed for iron content (-
harvest index , 1000 grain weight and grain 0.1438). These results were in conformity
yield per plant and number of effective tillers with Tsegaye et al., (2012), Kumar et al.,
per plant (0.2024*) could be helpful for the (2014), Tejbir Singh (2016), Phougat et al.,
improvement of bread wheat genotypes. (2017). This justifies that the presence of true
These results were in conformity with the relationship between these characters and
findings of Akhilesh et al., (2014), Hassani et grain yield, there by direct selection through
al., (2017), Singh et al., (2017), Obsa et al., these characters would result reasonable
(2017). effect on grain yield. The present study
showed the presence of considerable
The path coefficient studied the cause and variability among the tested wheat genotypes
effect and also studied relationship between and the possibility of improving yield and
the variables which is differentiated the other desirable characters through selection.
association into direct and indirect effect The above mention traits viz., grain weight
through other dependent variables. Path per spike, biological yield, harvest index,
coefficient analysis provides an effective way 1000 grain weight, grain yield per plant and
of finding out of direct and indirect sources of number of effective tillers per plant should be
correlations. The results are given in Table 4, given due emphasis for future wheat genetic
which reveals that the biological yield had improvement because they possess high
highest direct positive effect on grain yield genetic variance, heritability coupled with
followed by harvest index, grain weight per high genetic correlation among themselves
spike, number of effective tillers per plant, which may yield high genetic advance under
protein content and days to 50% proper selection pressure in a breeding
flowering.The highest negative direct effect programme.

Table.1 Analysis of variance for fourteen quantitative characters in thirty two genotypes

Mean sum of square

Characters Replication Treatment Error
d.f= 2 d.f= 31 d.f= 62
Days to 50 % flowering 0.4479 157.951 ** 5.942
Days to maturity 18.010 60.429 ** 7.752
Plant height 114.190 160.317 ** 52.503
No of effective tillers/plant 3.003 4.285 ** 1.217
Spike length 0.0436 3.162 ** 0.913
No of grain/spike 77.276 139.280 ** 37.273
Grain weight/ spike 0.268 1.368 ** 0.138
1000 grain weight 40.303 268.391 ** 24.499
Biological yield 66.700 243.264 ** 35.114
Grain yield/ plant 6.700 34.210 ** 3.456
Harvest index 48.000 99.132 ** 22.314
Protein content 0.230 2.255 * 0.948
Iron content 0.004 20.023* 1.436
Zinc content 1.135 17.572* 1.122

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Table.2 Phenotypic correlation of fourteen characters in Wheat

Characters Days to Plant No of Spike Grain/s Grain 1000 Biologic Harvest Protein Iron Zinc Grain yield
maturity ht. effective length pike wt./spike grain al yield index content content content per plant
tiller/plant wt.
Days to 50% 0.6996** 0.2097* -0.2620** -0.0820 0.0981 0.1144 0.0335 0.1997 0.0353 0.0470 0.1283 0.0754 0.2509*
flowering
Days to 0.1390 -0.2547* 0.0397 0.1149 0.1629 0.1450 0.2228* 0.1436 0.0677 0.0014 0.1561 0.3096**
maturity
Plant ht 0.0601 0.2598* 0.0025 0.0799 0.1114 0.2515* 0.0626 -0.0405 0.2935 -0.0806 0.1875
No of effective 0.1473 0.3330** 0.0601 0.1641 0.0456 -0.0562 0.0368 -0.0147 -0.0515 0.2024*
tiller/plant
Spike length -0.1355 0.1552 0.2736** 0.0744 0.0410 0.1913 0.0288 -0.0835 0.0870
Grain/spike -0.0424 0.0520 0.0543 0.1403 0.1650 -0.2182 -0.0330 0.2005
Grain wt. 0.3605** 0.2125* 0.3560** -0.1742 -0.0542 -0.0255 0.5724**
/spike
1000 grain wt. 0.0904 0.3416** 0.0170 0.1568 0.0756 0.3106**
Biological -0.2339 -0.2413 -0.0258 0.2794 0.5180**
yield
Harvest index -0.0095 -0.1088 -0.0322 0.4198**
Protein 0.1245 0.0004 -0.0212
content
Iron content 0.2744 -0.1750

Zinc content 0.1160

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Table.3 Direct and indirect effect of different yield and quality characters on grain yield in wheat

Characters Days to Days to Plant ht. No of Spike Grain/ Grain 1000 Biological Harves Protein Iron Zinc
50% maturity effective length spike wt./spike grain wt. yield t index content content content
flowering tiller/plant
Days to 50% 0.1508 0.1055 0.0316 -0.0395 -0.0124 0.0148 0.0172 0.0050 0.0301 0.0053 0.0071 0.0193 0.0114
flowering
Days to 0.0160 0.0229 0.0032 -0.0058 0.0009 0.0026 0.0037 0.0033 0.0051 0.0033 0.0016 0.0000 0.0035
maturity
Plant ht 0.0005 0.0003 0.0023 0.0001 0.0006 0.0000 0.0002 0.0003 0.0006 0.0001 -0.0001 0.0007 -0.0002
No of effective -0.0626 -0.0609 0.0144 0.2390 0.0352 0.0796 0.0144 0.0392 0.0109 -0.0134 0.0088 -0.0035 -0.0123
tiller/plant
Spike length 0.0000 0.0000 -0.0001 -0.0001 -0.0006 0.0001 -0.0001 -0.0002 0.0000 0.0000 0.0001 0.0000 0.0000

Grain/spike -0.0035 -0.0041 -0.0001 -0.0118 0.0048 -0.0355 0.0015 -0.0018 -0.0019 -0.0050 -0.0059 0.0077 0.0012
Grain wt/spike 0.0332 0.0473 0.0232 0.0174 0.0450 -0.0123 0.2901 0.1046 0.0616 0.1033 -0.0505 -0.0157 -0.0074

1000 grain wt -0.0009 -0.0037 -0.0029 -0.0042 -0.0070 -0.0013 -0.0093 -0.0257 -0.0023 -0.0088 -0.0004 -0.0040 -0.0019

Biological yield 0.1101 0.1228 0.1387 0.0252 0.0410 0.0300 0.1172 0.0498 0.5514 -0.1290 -0.1331 -0.0143 0.1541

Harvest index 0.0159 0.0647 0.0282 -0.0253 0.0185 0.0632 0.1604 0.1539 -0.1054 0.4506 -0.0043 -0.0490 -0.0145

Protein content 0.0082 0.0117 -0.0070 0.0064 -0.0332 0.0286 -0.0302 0.0030 -0.0418 -0.0016 0.1734 0.0216 0.0001

Iron content -0.0184 -0.0002 -0.0422 0.0021 -0.0041 0.0314 0.0078 -0.0226 0.0037 0.0156 -0.0179 -0.1438 -0.0395

Zinc content 0.0016 0.0033 -0.0017 -0.0011 -0.0018 -0.0007 -0.0006 0.0016 0.0060 -0.0007 0.0000 0.0059 0.0261

Correlation 0.2509 0.3096 0.1875 0.2024 0.0870 0.2005 0.5724 0.3106 0.5180 0.4198 -0.0212 -0.1750 0.1160
with grain
yield/plant
Partial r² 0.0378 0.0071 0.0071 0.0484 0.0000 -0.0071 0.1660 -0.0080 0.2857 0.1891 -0.0037 0.0252 0.0025

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How to cite this article:

Priti Kumari, Nitish De, Anand Kumarand Anjali Kumari. 2020. Genetic Variability,
Correlation and Path coefficient analysis for Yield and Quality traits in Wheat (Triticum
aestivum L.). Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci. 9(01): 826-832
doi: https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2020.901.089

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