Trait Correlations and Path Analysis for Kernel Yield Improvement in Groundnut (<i>Arachis hypogaea</i> L.) Genotypes

Groundnut (<i>Arachis hypogaea L</i>.), or peanut, is a self-pollinating legume valued for its oil-rich kernels and nitrogen-fixing roots. Given the limited availability of enriched germplasm in Ethiopia, indirect selection through association studies is pivotal for identifying traits linked to high kernel yield. This study evaluated fifteen groundnut genotypes using a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications to analyze correlations and path coefficients for yield improvement. Significant differences among genotypes were observed for key traits, including days to flowering and maturity, number of mature pods per plant, 100-kernel weight, and kernel yield, indicating the presence of variability among the genotypes in terms of these traits. Correlation analysis revealed a significant negative phenotypic correlation between kernel yield and days to maturity, but positive correlations with number of mature pods per plant and number of kernels per pod. The result revealed that late maturing genotypes produce high number of pods in turn exhibit higher kernel yield than early maturing ones. Genotypic correlations reinforced these findings, highlighting number of mature pods per plant as a critical determinant of yield. Path coefficient analysis indicated that the number of mature pods per plant had the highest direct positive effect on kernel yield, suggesting that enhancing this trait could significantly boost productivity. These results underscore the importance of selecting for high number of mature pods per plant in groundnut breeding programs to enhance kernel yield.