Correlation and path coefficient analysis for yield and its attributing traits in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em Thell)

Grain yield is a complex quantitative trait and influenced by a number of attributes. To obtain higher yield information regarding association of these attributes with yield can serve as a basis in a breeding programme. The present experiment was undertaken to estimate correlation coefficients between grain yield and different contributing characters and divide this association into direct and indirect effects through path coefficient analysis. The experiment was laid-out with three replications in randomized block design using 51 bread wheat genotypes and data were recorded for fourteen metric traits. Results revealed that grain yield per plant possessed highly significant positive associations with biological yield per plant (0.787 and 0.606), number of spikelets per spike (0.565 and 0.358), number of tillers per plant (0.500 and 0.383) and spike length (0.320 and 0.297) at both genotypic as well as phenotypic level respectively. Biological yield per plant (1.125) exhibited highest positive direct effect on grain yield followed by harvest index (0.678), number of spikelets per spike (0.109), days to maturity (0.100) and spike length (0.060). Therefore, these characters can serve as a selection criterion for further improvement in grain yield of wheat.