Genetic Association and Path Analysis of Yield and Related Traits in Chilli Genotypes

Chilli has shown a high degree of genetic diversity in yield and related traits. The current study used correlation and path coefficient analysis to ascertain the relationship between yield and the characteristics that contribute to yield at an experimental farm in the Department of Vegetable Science at Dr. YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Himachal Pradesh. 22 genotypes of chillies (two checks) were used in the experiment, which had three replications and a Randomized Complete Block Design. Growth, yield, quality, and disease traits were noted. The number of fruits per plant, fruit weight, dry yield as a percentage of fresh ripe fruit, fruit breadth, fruit length, and number of seeds per fruit were all significantly positively correlated with the fresh ripe fruit yield per plant at both the phenotypic and genotypic levels. Conversely, the yield of fresh, ripe fruit per plant was negatively correlated with days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, and thousand-seed weight. Strong innate links between the traits are indicated by the fact that correlations were stronger in genotypic than in phenotypic forms. According to path analysis, the quantity of fruit per plant had the greatest positive direct influence on output, followed by fruit weight, suggesting that these two traits could be used as selection criteria in programs aimed at improving chillies.