Trait interrelationships and their direct effects on bunch weight in dessert banana (Musa spp.)

Character association and path analysis are vital tools in banana breeding programs. In the present investigation 22 dessert banana genotypes were evaluated under coastal plain zone of Odisha during the year 2013-14 and 2104-15 in a randomized block design with three replications to study interrelationship among morphological traits and their direct effect on yield. Observations were recorded on growth parameters and yield attributing traits. Analysis of variance indicated significant differences among the genotypes in respect of all the growth parameters and yield attributing traits. Bunch weight otherwise called as plant yield showed significantly positive correlation with bunch length (0.726), number of hands (0.441), number of fingers (0.356), finger length (0.424) and finger weight (0.477) and positive correlation with bunch girth (0.189) and finger girth (0.187). Finger weight had the highest positive direct effect (0.978). Path analysis revealed that pseudo stem girth, leaf length, bunch length, number of hands, number of fingers, finger length and finger weight had direct positive effects on bunch weight (yield).