Correlation and Path Analysis for Yield and Yield Traits in Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) Genotypes

Correlation analysis is used to understand the relationships existing between yield and yield components. Path coefficient analysis has been suggested to separate correlation coefficient into direct and indirect effects. In sesame, path analysis has used to identify traits that have significant effects on seed yield. In the present experiment, Thirteen sesame genotypes were grown during Rabi Summer’2019 at Agricultural College and Research Institute, Kudumiyanmalai (Tamil Nadu Agricultural University) taken to assess genotypic, phenotypic correlation and direct and indirect effects of yield traits on yield. The biometrical and morphological traits such as days to fifty percent flowering, plant height, number of branches, number of capsules per plant, seeds per capsule, thousand seed weight, seed yield per plant and plot yield. The result showed significant differences among the accessions in most of the traits studied. This indicates that sufficient variability is present for most of the important characters among different genotypes. Correlation and path analysis revealed that the characters viz., number of seeds/capsule and plant height have positive direct effect along with significant positive correlation with seed yield whereas the character days to fifty flowering showed significant negative association with seed yield. Therefore, these characters can be considered as a criterion for improving seed yield in breeding programs of sesame.