Correlation and path coefficient analysis of morphological traits of maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

Maize is one of the most important grown plants in the world. Superior position of maize is due to his very wide and variety utilisation and because of that, the main goal of all maize breeding programs is to obtain new inbred lines and hybrids that will outperform the existing hybrids with respect to a number of traits. For efficient selection of grain yield, like the most important economic trait, in regard to its on the great influence the environmental factors, has complex mode of inheritance and low heritability, is necessary to know relation between grain yield and morphological traits which are influencing on the grain yield. One of the objectives of this paper was to determine relationship between grain yield and morphological traits. For these purpose two testcross populations which are formed by crossing progenies of NSU1 population after 16 cycles of phenotypic recurrent selection and two testers were tested. In both studied populations significant medium strong correlative relationship was established between grain yield per plant and 100- kernel weight. Among other traits in the test-cross population NSU1×568/II NS, positive correlative relation was established only between ear height and length and it showed a high significance. In population NSU1×B73 strongest correlation was established between ear height and kernel row number, but this relationship was negative. Also, since yield components are interrelated and develop sequentially at different growth stages it is important to define direct influence of specific yield components on yield, and their indirect effect via other traits. For that purpose path coefficient analysis were done. In test-cross population where we used inbred line 568/II NS like a tester high significant direct effect on grain yield was established for ear height (p1=-0.403**) and kernel row number (p3=0.390**), while in the second studied population path analysis showed high significant desirable influence of ear length (p2=0.394**) and 100-kernel weight (p4=0.573**) on grain yield.