Correlation and path analysis studies in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) for seed yield and its attributes in the Himalayan region

Correlation and path coefficient analysis was done with 25 chickpea accessions to find out association among characters and to assess the direct and indirect effects of eleven characters on seed yield. The study was conducted during rabi 2016–17. Correlation studies indicated that seed yield per plant exhibited a significant positive association with plant height, number of secondary branches, number of pod per plant, biomass yield and 100-seed weight. Path analysis revealed that the trait number of pod per plant had highest positive direct effect followed by 100-seed weight, days to 75% flowering, biomass yield and number of seeds per pod. Traits like number of secondary branches per plant, plant height and number of seed per pod contributed to seed yield mainly through indirect effects via the trait number of pods per plant. Hence, selection for high number of pods per plant and 100-seed weight would lead to high seed yield. Selection for number of secondary branches per plant, plant height and number of seed per pod would facilitate selecting genotypes for the high number of pods per plant.