Correlation and path analysis for seed yield and its components in sesame (Sesamum indicum L.)

Abstract

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is one of the oldest cultivated crops in the world popularly referred as “Queen of Oilseeds” due to its high quality oil. A field study was undertaken at the Research farm of the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai during the year 2015-16 to know the association among yield and its component traits in sesame. Thirty sesame hybrids obtained through Line x Tester analysis and their parents were evaluated for important quantitative traits such as days to 50 per cent flowering, plant height, height of first capsule, number of primary branches per plant, number of capsules on main stem, number of capsules per plant, capsule length, number of seeds per capsule, 1000 seed weight, oil content and seed yield per plant. Analysis of variance indicated the presence of genetic variability among the genotypes for all characters except days to 50 % flowering. Correlation analysis indicated that the characters viz., number of capsules on main stem and number of capsules per plant had the highest positive correlation with seed yield per plant followed by plant height, number of seeds per capsule, number of primary branches per plant and height of first capsule. Path analysis exhibited that the trait number of capsules on main stem had very high direct effect on yield followed by capsule length, 1000 seed weight and number of seeds per capsule. Hence these traits are to be given due importance during selection programme for improving seed yield in sesame.

Keywords

• Sesame
• yield and its components
• correlation and path analysis