Barnyard millet: A crop of promise elucidated through correlation and path analysis

With today's changing dietary demands and agricultural constraints, millets have become essential crops with significant agronomic and nutritional benefits. Among these, barnyard millet stands out for its resilience and nutritional richness. Despite its considerable nutritional and agronomic benefits, Barnyard millet suffers from a lack of recognition, relegating it to the status of a neglected and underutilized crop. The present study ventures into barnyard millet cultivation, utilizing correlation and path coefficient analysis to elucidate the complex interplay influencing its productivity and attributes. The study was conducted over two consecutive years and involved 172 genotypes with 23 yield-contributing traits under scrutiny. Panicle weight per plant (PWPP) (0.98), single panicle weight (0.81), biological yield per plant (0.79) and harvest index (0.71) exhibited strong positive correlations with grain yield per plant. While PWPP (0.82), PL (0.36), DSYPP (0.31) and HI (0.30) demonstrated high direct positive effects on grain yield per plant in the path coefficient analysis, emphasizing their significance in breeding programs. By improving these traits through selective breeding or genetic manipulation, researchers can potentially develop high-yielding varieties better adapted to varying environmental conditions. Conversely, days to maturity had a significant negative correlation with grain yield (-0.28) focusing on selecting early maturity genotypes. Panicle exertion (-0.30), biological yield per plant (-0.21) and flag leaf sheath length (-0.18) had the highest negative direct effects in the path analysis, suggesting their potential role as limiting factors in barnyard millet cultivation. Overall, these findings provide a roadmap for future research endeavours aimed at enhancing the productivity and resilience of barnyard millet, ultimately contributing to food security and agricultural sustainability in regions where this crop plays a vital role.