Investigation of Correlation Between Traits and Path Analysis of Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus L.) Genotypes

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the correlation between agronomic traits and seed yield of sunflower hybrids and also to determine the direct and indirect effects of analysed traits on seed yield. Correlation studies revealed that days to 50 % flowering, plant height, head diameter, volume weight, seed yield per plant and oil content were important selection indices for both oil and seed yield improvement. Alternaria leaf spot severity had negative and significant correlation on seed yield per plant, oil content and oil yield per plant. This indicated the importance of resistance breeding for Alternaria leaf spot disease. The path analysis revealed that traits namely; days to 50 % flowering, head diameter, oil content, plant height and Alternaria leaf spot severity were important selection indices. Though the correlation analysis showed that 100-seed weight and volume weight were important, the path analysis indicated that these traits were less important