ASSESSMENT OF CORRELATION AND PATH COEFFICIENT FOR GRAIN YIELD, ITS ATTRIBUTES AND NITROGEN USE EFFICIENCY IN BREAD WHEAT (TRITICUM AESTIVUM L.) UNDER LOW AND HIGH NITROGEN CONDITIONS

The development of high-yielding and resource-efficient wheat cultivars through breeding programs is crucial for sustainable agriculture and ensuring global food security.To achieve this objective, present investigation was carried out at S. D. Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar, Gujarat during rabi 2022-23 by taking 28 bread wheat genotypes (including 7 parents and 21 Fs) and grown in split plot design under two nitrogen level i.e., N 0 (no nitrogen condition) and N+ (optimal dose of nitrogen).Analysis of correlation coefficients revealed that grain yield per plant showed significant positive correlations with spike length, biological yield per plant (in N 0 and N+ conditions), grains per spike (in N 0 condition), and nitrogen use efficiency, as well as number of tillers per plant and harvest index (in N+ condition).Path analysis showed that biological yield per plant, harvest index, nitrogen content in grain, and nitrogen use efficiency had the highest positive effects on grain yield under respective nitrogen conditions.These traits can be prioritized for direct selection to enhance grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency in wheat breeding programs.