CHARACTER ASSOCIATION AND MULTI VARIATE ANALYSIS IN PEA ( Pisum sativum L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during December 2013 to March 2014 to study the genetic variability, correlation, path coefficient analysis and genetic diversity for quantitative traits in pea (Pisum sativum L.) with forty five genotypes in randomized complete block design with three replications. The genotypes were sowing in a field experiment conducted at the research farm of Sher-E-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka. Analysis of variance for each trait showed significant differences among the genotypes. Phenotypic coefficients of variation (PCV) was also close to genotypic coefficients of variation (GCV) for all the characters except branches per plant, number of nodes per plant, pods per plant, seeds per pod and seed yield per plant indicating that environment had influence on the expression of these characters. High heritability associated with high genetic advance percent of mean was observed for pod length and hundred seed weight which indicated that selection for these characters would be effective. Seed yield per plant had highly significant positive genotypic and phenotypic association with pod length, hundred seed weight, pods per plant, and seeds per plant, revealing that selection based on these traits would ultimately improve the seed yield. Path coefficient analysis revealed that seeds per plant and hundred seed weight had the highest positive direct effect on seed. Hence, thrust has to be given for these characters in future breeding program to improve the yield in pea. Multivariate analysis based on 11 agronomic characters indicated that the forty five genotypes were grouped into five distant clusters. The maximum contribution of characters towards diversity was observed by days of 50% flowering, plant height and branches per plant. Thus, these traits may be given high emphasis while selecting the lines for hybridization. The inter cluster distance was maximum between cluster II and cluster V. The highest intra-cluster distance was found in cluster II. From the results it can be concluded that the following genotypes viz., BD- 4142 (G7), BD-4243 (G8), BD-4141 (G6) and BD- 4145(G10) were identified as potential genotypes for higher seed yield in pea.