Correlation and Path Coefficient Studies of Yield and Its Contributing Traits in Groundnut (Arachis hypogea L.)

Groundnut is currently a major industrial oilseed crop with good commercial significance. It is highly variable in phenotypic characters and thus it is important to investigate the variations and associations of these morphological features. Ten confectionary type advanced breeding lines along with two checks (Kadiri chitravathi and Kadir-7) were raised in a randomized block design with three replications and they were evaluated for 15 characters. Significant variations were observed among the genotypes for all the characters studied. The highest genotypic coefficient of variation was observed for hundred pod weight and hundred pod kernel weight indicating the presence of wide range of variation for this character. The dry pod yield per plant had significant positive association with hundred pod kernel weight, kernel yield per plot and positive association with plant height, no. of pods per plant and hundred pod weight. Path coefficient analysis revealed that, hundred pod weight reported the highest positive direct effect on pod yield per plot followed by hundred pod kernel weight, kernel yield per plot, days to maturity, days to 50 % flowering, plant height, final plant count and initial plant count indicating that the selection for these characters was likely to bring about an overall improvement in pod yield per plot directly.