Studies on character association and path coefficient analysis in yard long bean vigna (Unguiculata Subsp. Sesquipedalis)

Correlation and path analysis for yield and yield components were conducted for 44 genotypes of yard-long bean (Vigna unguiculata subsp. Sesquipedalis) grown in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India during 2011–12. Pod yield per plant was positively correlated with number of pods per plant (0.482), pod weight (0.173) and primary branches per plant (0.325) at the genotypic level. The number of days to first harvest (−0.296), peduncle length (−0.286) and 100 seed weight (−0.414) showed significant negative genotypic correlation with pod yield per plant. Path analysis revealed that the number of pods per plant had greatest direct effect (1.0462) on yield followed by pod weight (0.6496). The number of pods per plant and pod weight showed significant genotypic correlation with high direct effect on pod yield; thus, these characters should be given importance in selection programs for yield improvement in yardlong bean.