Correlation and Path Analysis Studies in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

The present investigation is carried out to study the correlation and path analysis in eighty four (including Check) rice (Oryza sativa L.) varieties. Biological yield per plant, harvest index, 1000-grain weight, panicle bearing tillers/plant and panicle length showed positive and significant correlation with grain yield per plant to emerge as most important associates of grain yield in rice. Path analysis identified biological yield per plant followed by harvest index as most important direct as well as indirect yield. Contributing traits or components which merit due consideration at time of devising selection strategy aimed at developing high yielding varieties in rice. In contrary to most of the previous reports in rice, comparatively small proportion of direct and indirect effects of different characters attained high order value in the present study. This may be attributing to presence of very high genetic variability and diversity in the fairly large number of germplasm lines.