Varietal Performance and Correlation Studies in Hybrid Tea Roses

The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate environmental correlation studies among important growth, flowering and yield characters in thirty varieties of hybrid tea roses (Rosa hybrida L.) at the Horticulture Research Farm, DSN College, Unnao, Uttar Pradesh. The experiment was laid out in Randomised Block Design (RBD) with thirty treatments (varieties) replicated three times during the years 2022 –23 and 2023–24. Observations were recorded on six quantitative characters, namely: plant height, days to first bud appearance, flower diameter, number of petals per flower, stem length, and number of flowers per plant per year. Analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences among varieties for all traits under study, confirming the existence of sufficient genetic variability. Correlation studies indicated that plant height exhibited highly significant positive correlations with flower diameter (r = 0.71**), number of petals (r = 0.58**), and number of flowers per plant (r = 0.55**). Flower diameter showed a strong positive correlation with the number of petals (r = 0.78**) and number of flowers per plant per year (r = 0.69**). Days to first bud appearance registered a significant negative correlation with flower diameter and flower yield, suggesting that early budding genotypes tend to produce higher flower counts. Varieties Peace, Queen Elizabeth, Oklahoma, Crimson Glory, and Perfume Delight emerged as the most promising based on their superior performance across multiple characters. The study concludes that environmental conditions at Unnao, characterised by sub-tropical climate, significantly influence inter-trait associations in hybrid tea roses, and that selection based on plant height and flower diameter may lead to indirect improvement in overall flower yield.