Assessment of genetic variability, character association and path coefficient in sesame (Sesamum indicum L.)

To analyze the genetic variability, correlation and path coefficient analysis of yield and yield attributing characters were studied in 21 genotypes of sesame. The experiment was carried out at Agricultural Research Station (S.K.N. Agricultural University, Jobner-Jaipur), Navgaon (Alwar) during kharif 2019. Analysis of variance revealed that the existence of significant genotypic differences among the genotypes for days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, plant height, number of primary branches per plant, number of capsules per plant, capsule bearing length, seeds per pod, 1000-seed weight, harvest index and seed yield per plant. Higher estimates of GCV and PCV were recorded for seed yield per plant, number of capsules per plant and number of primary branches per plant. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance as percent of mean was observed for seed yield per plant, 1000-seed weight, number of seeds per pod, number of capsules per plant and number of primary branches per plant plant indicating the influence of additive gene action, as such simple selection would likely to be effective for improvement of these traits. Seed yield per plant showed positive significant association with capsules bearing length, number of seeds per pod and harvest index, while it had negative significant association with days to flowering and days to maturity at both genotypic and phenotypic levels. Path analysis revealed that the characters capsules bearing length, plant height, days to 50% flowering and 1000-seed weight were directly and indirectly influencing the seed yield per plant were important characters to be considered for realizing the improvement in seed yield in sesame owe to their positive contribution.