Vol. 10, Issue 7 (2021)

Author(s):
Bal Krishna, Birender Singh, Shyam Sundar Mandal, Kumari Rashmi and Tushar Ranjan

Abstract:
Thirteen inbred lines, three testers, thirteen nine hybrids, and two checks were tested in an RBD design with three replications at the Irrigation Research Station Farm, Araria, Bihar during the season of kharif 2020. The goal was to assess the direct and indirect impacts of characteristics on grain yield in maize and to establish the phenotypic and genotypic connection between traits. Character association studies will aid in assessing the link between the yield and its components in order to improve the selection's effectiveness. In light of this, the current study used twelve quantitative parameters to analyze the correlation coefficient and path analysis among 39 F₁s, 13 inbred, three testers, and two check of maize. Correlation studies indicated that plant height (cm), ear height (cm), ear length (cm), ear diameter (cm), 1000 kernels weight, kernel rows per ear, number of kernels per row showed significant positive association with grain yield (Kg/ha) as well as among themselves at phenotypic and genotypic level. As a result, selecting for any one of these characters would result in improvements in the other characters as well as an increase in grain yield (kg/ha). Path coefficient analysis revealed that the highest positive direct effects on grain yield was exhibited by ear length, ear diameter, kernel rows per ear, kernels per row, 1000 kernels weight, ear height, days to 50% silking. As a result, the current study could aid in the trustworthy selection of parental lines based on the features listed above, as well as the development of high yielding varieties for future breeding programs.