The Journal of Research ANGRAU

SUDHARANI et al
At genotypic level, number of total tillers plant -1
(1.0876) exhibited highest positive effect on yield
(Table 2), while substantial magnitude of positive
direct effect was also exerted by spikelet fertility
(0.4417). On the other hand, moderate direct effects
were shown by SES for visual salt injury (0.2692)
and root shoot ratio (0.2927). The direct effects of
productive tillers plant -1 (-0.5877), panicle length
(-0.3681) and panicle weight (-0.3495) were high, but
negative, while moderate influence in the same
direction was exhibited by SPAD chlorophyll meter
readings (-0.2290). The direct positive effects on yield
were reported for number of grains panicle -1 (Sajjad,
1990), harvest index (Tripathi et al., 2011) and
productive tillers plant -1 (Natarajan et al., 2005 and
Tripathi et al., 2011). Therefore, more emphasis may
be given to spikelet fertility per cent and number of
tillers plant -1 while executing selections under saline
soil conditions.
The results of present investigation indicate
selection under saline condition would be effective
for number of total tillers per plant, spikelet fertility
per cent as they showed significant positive
association as well as direct effect on yield. Similarly,
selecting the plants with low Na + /K + ratio would help
for yield improvement along with salt tolerance as
this trait showed significant negative association as
well as negative direct effect on grain yield under
stressed conditions Hence, these traits may be
prioritized for developing ideotype(s) for saline
environment.
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