physicochemical

ASSESSMENT OF VARIABILITY AND CAUSE AND EFFECT RELATIONSHIP
showed positive significant correlation with days to
maturity in the cross Sb x Sl and test weight and
fodder yield in both the crosses (Table 2). Days to
50% flowering exhibited significant positive
association with days to maturity in the cross Sb x
Sl and plant height in the cross Sb x Su. Days to
maturity recorded significant positive correlation with
fodder yield in the cross Sb x Sl. Plant height
recorded significant positive correlation with panicle
length and test weight in the cross Sb x Sl. Test
weight showed positive significant correlation with
panicle length in Sb x Sl and fodder yield in Sb x Su.
The present study revealed the desirable associations
of seed yield with days to maturity in Sb x Sl and
with fodder yield in both the crosses.
The study on direct and indirect effects of
yield and yield attributing traits on seed yield indicated
that days to 50% flowering, plant height, panicle
length, test weight and fodder yield had positive direct
effects on seed yield (Table 3). These results were
in agreement with the earlier findings of Patil and
Parameshwarappa (1993). The negative direct effect
of days to maturity with seed yield were manifested
through negative indirect effects via days to flowering
in both the crosses and panicle length and fodder
yield in Sb x Sl and plant height in Sb x Su. Positive
direct effect of plant height with seed yield was
manifested through positive indirect effects of days
to 50% flowering, days to maturity, panicle length
and fodder yield in Sb x Su and through panicle length
and test weight in Sb x Sl there by resulting in positive
association with seed yield. Panicle length exhibited
positive direct effect through days to 50% flowering,
plant height and test weight and negative indirect
effect through fodder yield in both the crosses.
Indirect effects of test weight were positive through
days to maturity, panicle length and fodder yield and
negative through days to 50% flowering in both the
crosses resulting in strong association with seed
yield.
The genotypic residual effects viz., 0.584 in
Sb x Su and 0.686 in Sb x Sl were high in magnitude
which shows that yield contributing characters which
contributed to yield were highly influenced by the
environment. The characters plant height, panicle
length, test weight and fodder yield which showed
positive correlation with seed yield should be given
due importance in the selection for yield improvement.
Hence, these characters can be used as selection
indices and careful selection should be exercised for
evolving high yielding genotypes.
REFERENCES
Dewey, D.R and Lu, K.N. 1959. A correlation and
path coefficient analysis of components of
crested wheat grass and seed production.
Agronomy Journal, 51: 515-518.
Goulden, C.H. 1952. Methods of statistical analysis.
John Wiley and Sons Inc., New York.
Narkhede, B.N., Akade, J.H and Awari, V.R. 2000.
Variability studies of rabi sorghum local types
(Sorghum bicolor L. Moench). Journal of
Maharashtra Agricultural Universities, 25: 300-
302.
Patil, H.D and Parameshwarappa, P. 1993.
Intercharacter associations and path analysis
of yield components and developmental traits
in sorghum. Journal of Maharashtra
Agricultural Universities, 18: 393-396.
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