Association Studies for Seed Yield and Its Attributing Traits in Desi Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Varieties

Correlation and path analysis were studied successively during Rabi seasons 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12 among seventeen diverse genotypes of desi chickpea ( Cicer arietinum L .) recommended for different states for seed yield and its components. High heritability along with high genetic advance was recorded for traits viz., number of pods per plant, pod length and 100 seed weight. High heritability along with moderate genetic advance were observed for plant height and seed yield/plant indicated that these traits are governed by additive-gene action and continued selection in subsequent generations will be highly responsive. Correlation studies revealed that seed yield/plant were significantly and positively correlated with plant height, number of pods/plant, number of seeds/pod, 100 seed weight and negatively correlated with number of secondary branches and days to fifty percent flowering. Path analysis indicated that the highest direct and positive effect of plant height (0.46) followed by number of primary branches/plant (0.30), days to maturity (0.23), number of seeds/pod (0.21) and 100 seed weight (0.19). The study validates that the number of seeds/pod, 100 seed weight and plant height are important characters for improvement of seed yield/plant in chickpea. Hence, the present study was under taken to know the association among seed yield/plant and yield contributing traits in chickpea. In improvement process, emphasis on number of seeds/pod, 100 seed weight and plant height are important characters for enhancement of seed yield/plant in desi chickpea.