| There was a significant positive association of plant height with grains/spike
and tillers/plant under saline environment which suggests tha possibility
of their simultaneous improvement, confiring findings of GIRIRAJ et al.
(1980) in wheat. Plant height and grains/spike exhibited significant positive
association with grain yield over the environments. Association of 1,000-grain
weight was recorded significant negative with grains/spike whereas, was
non significant negative with tillers/plant in both the environments. KUMAR
(1979) also observed significant negative association between 1,000-grain
weight and grains/spike in wheat under normal environment. The traits 1,000-grain
weight and grains/spike may not therefore, be simultaneously improved in
either of the two environments. Path coefficient analysis : In normal environment plant height had maximum direct positive effect with grain yield (1.62) ; whereas grains/spike and 1,000-grain weight had the strong negative direct effects (-0.120 and -1.319, respectively) with grain yield (Table 2). GIRIRAJ et al. (1980) also reported highest direct positive effect of plant height on grain yield in wheat under normal conditions. Notwithstanding, direct negative effect of grains/spike with grain yield, their association was significant positive in normal conditions (Table 1). This association might therefore, be due to high indirect influence of grains/spike via 1,000-grain weight. Even though, association of germination of seeds with grain yield was significant negative in normal environment, the direct influence of former was negligible. This association was thus, due to indirect negative influence of germination of seeds via 1,000-grain weight and grains/spike. In saline environment, tillers/plant showed maximum direct positive effects on grain yield (0.961), followed by germination of seeds (0.417) and grains/spike (0.120). Our results on tillers/plant are in confirmity with those of GIRIRAJ et al. (1980) under saline environment. Grains/spike under salinity which possessed significant positive association with grain yield influenced it mainly indirectly via 1,000-grain weight. Even though, plant height possessed significant positive association with grain yield, direct effect was negative (-0.286), this association was therefore, mainly indirectly via tillers/plant and grains/spike. It is worth mentioning that under normal environment germination of seeds and 1,000-grains weight exhibited more indirect effects via plant height. On the contrary, in saline environment per cent seed germination, plant height and grains/spike showed more indirect effects via tillers/plant. Higher values for residual path ways under saline conditions indicate that traits other than included in the study also played an appreciable role. In saline environment thus tillers/plant followed by per cent seed germination add grains/spike appear chief components. References BAKER, R.J., BENDELOW, V.M. & KAUFMAN, M.L. (1968). Inheritance and inter relationship among yield and several quality component traits in common wheat. Crop Sci. 8 : 725-728. DEWEY, D.R. & LU, K.H. (1958). A correlation and path coefficient analysis of compoentns of crested wheat grass seed production. Agron. J. 51 : 515-518. GIRIRAJ, K., JANANDHAN, K.V. & RAO, K.B. (1980). Path analysis in wheat under normal and saline environments. Procedings International Symposium on salt affected Soil. C.S.D.R.I., Karnal, pp. 508-512. JAIMINI, S.N., GOPAL, S.N. & TIKKA, S.B.S. (1974). Estimation of correlation coefficients and path coefficient analysis of some biometrical characters in wheat. Indian J. Agric. Sci. 44 : 201-203. KUMAR, D. (1979). Correlation and path coefficient analysis in common wheat (T. aestivum L.). Madras Agric. J. 66(7) : 455-458. KUMAR, D., CHAMHAN, R.P.S. & SINGH, R.V. (1981). Salt tolerance in some mutants induced from HD 2009 wheat. Indian J. Agric. Sci. 51(7) : 425-479. SINGH, K.N. (1979). Genetic variability and inter lationship in linseed grown on sodic soil. Indian J. Agric. Sci. 49 : 379-400. SINGH, K.N. (1980). Path analysis in linseed under sodic soil condition. Indian J. Genet. 40(2) : 385-387. TORRES, B.C. & BINGHAM, F.T. (1973). Salt tolerance of mexican wheat. I. Effect of NO3 and NaCl mineral nutrition, growth and grain production of four wheats. Proc. Soil Sci. Soc Amer. 37 : 711-715. |
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