Association Studies for Yield Related Traits in Elite Maize (Zea mays L.) Inbreds

Abstract

Yield-related trait associations were studied in 30 diverse maize inbred lines, two of which were checks, during kharif 2024 at the Experimental Farm of the Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, CSK HPKV, Palampur. The experiment was laid out in a randomised block design with three replications for correlation and path coefficient analyses. Significant positive relationships with grain yield per plant at both phenotypic and genotypic levels were detected for 100-kernel weight, cob girth, cob length, the number of kernels per row, plant height, shelling per cent, the number of kernel rows per cob and cob height. In the phenotypic path analysis, cob length had the greatest positive direct effect and 100-kernel weight the second greatest. In the genotypic path analysis, days to 50% silking ranked first for positive direct effect, followed in order by the number of kernels per row, 100-kernel weight and the number of kernel rows per cob. The residual values were 0.16708 phenotypically and 0.07791 genotypically. The findings support 100-kernel weight, the number of kernels per row and the number of kernel rows per cob as useful selection traits for improving grain yield in maize.