The Study of Correlation and Genetic Divergence analysis between Yield and Yield related traits of Bread Wheat (Triticum Aestivum L.) Genotypes

Wheat is one of the best useful crops grown in Ethiopia. Evaluation of correlation and Genetic Divergence analysis provides the basis for increasing yield and successful breeding programme. In addition, some information is generated about correlation and genetic divergence analysis between yield and yield related traits of bread wheat germplasm in Ethiopia. Therefore this study was conducted to evaluate the extent of genetic correlation and Genetic Divergence analysis among yield and yield related traits of bread wheat genotypes. The study was carried out with the following objectives; to assess the association and Genetic Divergence analysis for yield and yield related traits like genotypic and phenotypic association and Genetic Divergence analysis of yield and yield related traits. To achieve the above objectives; total of 100 bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes were evaluated at Holeta Agricultural Research Centre in 2021 main cropping season. The experiment was conducted by using 10x10 alpha lattice designs. Data were subjected to analysis of variance which revealed that there was highly significant difference (p=0.01) among the genotypes for all characters studied. The highest grain yield (5620.76t ha) was recorded from Elit Ethiopia172/2020 and the lowest grain yield (1027.2t/ha) was recorded from 30HRWSN246/2019 genotype. Grain yield was positive and highly correlated with harvest index (r=0.810), thousand kernel weight (r=0.786), kernels per spike (r=0.716), hectoliter weight (r=0.631), Plant height(r=0.347), spikelets per spike (r=0.325), and spike length (r=0.214), and negative and significant correlation with fertile tillers per plant (r=-0.1600.25). The highest cluster was clusterI which consistes of 45 genotypes (31.30%), and the lowest cluster was cluster VI (6.30%) consists of 1 genotype.