PATH COEFFICIENT ANALYSIS FOR POD YIELD AND ITS ATTRIBUTES IN GARDEN PEA (PISUM SATIVUM L. SUB SP. HORTENSE ASCH. AND GAREBN.)

Abstract

An experiment was conducted for the physiogenetical analysis of dry matter production and yields in garden pea. Ten genotypes of garden pea, including five early and five mid-season types were studied. The experiment was conducted during the winter seasons of 2002-03 and 2003-04. Data were recorded on different morphophysiological characters. To supplement the information and to have a clear understanding of relationship of different component characters with yield and among themselves, correlation and paths coefficient analysis was carried out. Genotypic path coefficient analyses revealed that number of pods per plant had the highest positive direct effect towards pod yield per plant in both the years. This was followed by other characters like green grain yield per plant, days to first green pod harvest, number of gains per pod and leaf index. Number of pods per plant exerted highest positive indirect effect through leaf area index while highest negative indirect effect was through 1000-seed weight. Shelling percentage followed by characters like biomass weight of plant and harvest index, also exerted direct negative effect. Shelling percentage had highest indirect negative effect through days to first green pod harvest. The study revealed that greater emphasis should be given to characters like number of pod per plant, green grain yield per plant, days to first green pod harvest, number of grains per pod, leaf area index and plant height for greenpod yield improvement.