Correlation and path analysis of grain yield and components of grain yield of maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

Maize is one of the most important cereal crops. Besides its use as food and feed, maize is also an energy crop. In order to ensure sufficient quantities of maize, the main goal of every breeding program is to develop new, better hybrids. Correlation and path coefficient analysis can be used for indirect selection of highyielding hybrids. In light of that, one of the objectives of this paper was to determine relationship between grain yield and morphological traits, for 8 inbred lines and their hybrids, Strong genetic and phenotypic correlations were found between grain yield and other studied traits, except between grain yield, on one side, and kernel row number, where we found medium phenotypic correlations, Between morphological traits of plant and ear the highest values of genotypic and phenotypic coefficient of correlations were found between ear length and kernel number per row. Also, the objective of this research was to find the direct and indirect effects of morphological traits on grain yield. Desirable, high significant influence on grain yield in path coefficient analysis, was found for almost all studied traits. Ear height was the only trait that had negative direct genetic and phenotypic influence.