Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

CHARACTER ASSOCIATION AND PATH ANALYSIS FOR YIELD CONTRIBUTING TRAITS IN QUALITY PROTEIN MAIZE (ZEA MAYS L.)

V. Ulaganathan, S.M. Ibrahim and A. Gurusamy

Abstract

A study was conducted at Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai, Tamil Nadu during 2009- 2010 to find out the association among yield components and their direct and indirect effect on the grain yield of maize. Five quality protein maize as lines (QPM-6, QPM-12, QPM-13, QPM-14 and QPM-18) were crossed with three testers (Co (BC) 1, S.C.B.1457-6 and S.C.B.7853-1) to develop 15 F1 hybrids. Genotypic correlation coefficient revealed that ear weight, number of kernels per row, 100 grain weight, cob length, plant height, cob breadth, chlorophyll content, proline content, protein content, nitrate reductase activity and number of kernel rows were significant positive association with grain yield per plant. Path analysis revealed that highest direct effect on grain yield per plant was recorded by ear weight followed by number of kernels per row and days to 50 per cent silking. The traits such as number of kernels per row and ear weight showed significant association as well as high direct effect on grain yield. Therefore, these two characters determining the grain yield is an important selection process in improving grain yield of maize.