CHARACTER ASSOCIATION AND PATH ANALYSIS IN EARLY SEGREGATING POPULATION IN CHICKPEA(Cicer arietinum l.)

An experiment was conducted to estimate the genetic variability, character association and path analysis in early segregating population in chickpea. High genotypic and phenotypic coefficient of variation was observed for 100 seed weight followed by seed yield/plant and plant height. Hundred seed weight followed by harvest index, pods/plant and seed yield/plant exhibited high estimates of heritability (bs) as well as genetic advance. Correlation coefficient analysis revealed that seed yield/ plant exhibited significant and positive correlation with harvest index, 100 seed weight and number of pods/ plant at both phenotypic and genotypic level. Direct selection for 100 seed weight and number of pods could be helpful in the improvement of chickpea breeding. Path analysis indicated that plant height, days to 50% flowering and number of pods/plant had high direct effect on seed yield at both phenotypic and genotypic levels. Thus these characters may serve as effective selection criterion for yield improvement in chickpea.