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Abstract

The present study was aimed to gather information on genetic association of traits with respect to seed yield and its components. The genotypes were planted in 9 × 9 simple lattice designs at Melkassa Agricultural Research Center, Ethiopia, during the 2014 cropping season to determine the nature and extent of phenotypic and genotypic correlation and path coefficient analysis among 13 quantitative traits. Analysis of variance revealed significant difference among genotypes for all traits studied. Mean performance of genotypes revealed that the highest mean seed yield/plant (8.6g) recorded for Oromia-22 and the lowest mean seed yield/plant (2.6g) for Oromia-9; with overall mean of 5.33g/plant. Whereas, the highest mean oil content (52.15%) noted for Oromia-13 and the lowest (43.35%) mean oil content was recorded for Am-SW-7 genotypes; with overall mean of 47.1%. Traits viz., number of capsules, biomass yield, harvest index and 1000 seed weight showed highly significant and high positive correlation with seed yield, indicating that these traits are reliable yield components and seed yield can be improved through direct selection of them. Moreover, plant height and number of seeds/capsule showed highly significant but moderately positive correlation with seed yield; hence, these trait scan also be considered alternatively for yield improvement in sesame. Maximum positive direct effect on seed yield was exerted by number of capsules, biomass yield, and days to maturity and harvest index, suggesting that these traits can be used for selection to improve the primary trait. Over all, the use of the above mentioned traits in sesame improvement program (of the mid-altitude areas of Ethiopia) would increase seed yield.