Association and path of qualitative and quantitative traits for higher sugarcane yield

Sugarcane yield is one of the most important and complex traits among sugarcane breeders. The improvement of cane yield remains the top priority for sugarcane breeders in most of their breeding programs. Selection of high yielding sugarcane genotypes depends upon the direct and indirect contribution of different traits and the magnitude of its interrelationship towards sugarcane and sugar yield. Present study was designed to analyse the contribution of each trait as well as their co-relation with different other traits for sugarcane yield. Two hundred twenty six segregating progenies were evaluated in a replicated field experiment at Sugarcane Research Institute, Shahjahanpur, during 2011–12 for eleven sugar-related traits. Cane yield showed positively and highly significant correlation with number of millable cane (r = 0.823), stalk weight (r = 0.492) and shoot count (r = 0.245). Stalk length was associated significantly with internode length (r = 0.399) and number of internode (r = 0.221). Path coefficient results displayed that number of millable cane had the highest positive direct effect (0.8472) on cane yield followed by stalk weight (0.5012). The indirect effect of shoot count on cane yield was found positive via number of millable cane (0.3277). Present findings indicate that the genotypes should be selected on the basis of number of millable cane and stalk weight to gain higher cane yield.