GENETIC VARIABILITY AND PATH COEFFICIENT IN MAIZE (Zea mays L.) GENOTYPES

Abstract

Present investigations were aimed at estimating the genetic parameters and character’s association in forty maize genotypes. The PCV was higher in magnitude than GCV for almost all the traits except for root density which showed greater value of GCV than PCV. Heritability estimates were also higher in all the traits and highest hretability was shown for chlorophyll content. Path coefficient analysis revealed that the fresh shoot length had maximum direct effect on fresh root length followed by root density, dry shoot weight, leaf temperature and dry root weight. It may be concluded that fresh root length, dry shoot weight, root density, leaf temperature and dry root weight are the characters which contribute largely to the fresh shoot length of maize seedlings. These traits had reasonable heritability estimates, thus selection could be made for high yielding maize genotypes on the basis of these traits.