CORRELA TION AND PATH COEFFICIENT ANALYSIS IN LENTIL (Lens culinaris MEDIC.)

Abstract

The study on correlation and path coefficient was conducted to determine the contribution of different traits to seed yield in lentil (Len» culinaris Medic.), Six M,I lines of lentil were evaluated in a replicated field trial for twelve yield and yield contributing characters vii: days to first flower (OFF), plant height at first flower (PHFF), number of primary branches at first flower (NPBFF), number of secondary branches at first flower (NSBFF). number of secondary branches at maximum flower (NSBMF), plant area per plant (PAPP), plant weight per plant (PWPP), root weight per plant (RWPP), number of pods per plant (NPdPP), pod weight per plant (PdWPP). number of seeds per plant (NSPP) and seed weight per plant (SWPP). In correlation analysis. SWPP was positively correlated with all the characters but significantly correlated with OFF, NPdPP, PdWPP and NSPP at genotypic level. But at phenotypic level, SWPP significantly correlated only with NPdPP. Path coefficient analysis revealed that NPdPP and NSPP had the highest direct effect on SWPP both at phenotypic and genotypic levels. The second highest direct effect on SWPP was noted for PdWPP at phenotypic level and NPdPP at genotypic level. The results of correlation and path coefficient analysis both at phenotypic and genotypic levels showed that NPdPP and NSPP were the most important yield components because they showed significant correlation with SWPP at genotypic level and highest direct positive effect on SWPP both at phenotypic and genotypic levels.