Assessment of association between yield and quality traits in Quality Protein Maize (QPM)

Abstract

An investigation was carried out with 61 genotypes (42 crosses, 14 lines, 3 testers and 2 checks) to assess trait association, Experiments were laid out in Randomized Block Design with three replications during 2021, in three environments namely, pre-kharif (date of sowing: 15th May) - E1, kharif (date of sowing: 30th June) - E2 and post-kharif (date of sowing: 15th August)- E3. Analysis of character association based on the observations recorded on yield, yield contributing and biochemical traits in the three environments revealed that ear height, kernel rows per ear, kernels per row, 1000- grain weight, cob length, cob girth and kernel vitreosity displayed a positive and highly significant correlation with grain yield at both genotypic and phenotypic levels. High direct effect on grain yield was exerted by ear height, kernel rows per ear, kernels per row, 1000- grain weight and cob length. The selection of these traits could improve the crop yield.

Keywords

• maize
• qpm
• correlation
• path