CHARACTER ASSOCIATION ANALYSIS IN BREAD WHEAT (Triticum aestivum L.) VARIETIES

This work aims at determining the selection criteria for grain yield, by direct and indirect effect, and the various components of wheat productivity. 68 wheat varieties were used for studies of coefficient analysis in morpho-physiological characters at Agriculture Research Farm, Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara (Punjab), India. Generally, in character association analysis the results of genotypic correlation were greater than the phenotypic correlation. The significant phenotypic and genotypic correlation of grain yield/plant was found for the characters namely, No. of productive tillers per plant, No. of ears per plant, biological yield per plant and harvest index. Genotypic correlation founds positive significant with peduncle length, ear length, ear weight and biological yield per plant. Path coefficient analysis showed that positive direct effect on grain yield per plant was observed by peduncle length, No. of spikelets per ear, No. of ears per plant, No. of grains per ear, biological yield per plant, harvest index, chlorophyll content and canopy temperature.