Correlation and Path Coefficient Analysis in Blackgram (Vigna mungo L.)

The Blackgram is a short duration crop suitable for multiple cropping systems and intercropping. It is indeterminate in habit of flowering and fruiting and there is a continuous competition for available assimilates between vegetative and reproductive sinks throughout the growth period. The present study was undertaken to estimate genotypic associations between yield contributing characters along with path analysis for developing suitable selection criterion for blackgram improvement. The experiment was carried out at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore during July to October, 2023. The blackgram (Vigna mungo L.) var. VBN 11 was studied in randomized block design with three replications for correlations, and direct and indirect effects for quantitative characters. Maximum coefficient value of highly significant positive correlation was recorded between leaf area index and chlorophyll content (0.989). The path analysis provided the cause and effect of the relationship between the variables by partitioning the association into direct and indirect effects through other independent variables. It was concluded that the yield contributing characters viz., plant height, number of leaves per plant, leaf area index, chlorophyll content, number of flowers per plant, conversion efficiency percentage, number of pods per plant, number of cluster per plant, pod yield per plant, seed yield per plant, seed recovery percentage, 100 see weight and pod yield per ha had strong positive association with seed yield per ha. The characters, leaf area index, chlorophyll content, conversion efficiency percentage, seed yield per plant and 100-seed weight had a positive direct effect on seed yield.