Character association and causation analysis of certain quantitative traits in maize (Zea may L.)

Grain yield in maize and most of the crops is a complex character so knowledge of character association and direct and indirect effect of different characters on yield is crucial for making efficient selection strategy to develop the inbred and/or hybrids having desirable combination of the characters.

The experiment was conducted using 77 genotypes in randomized block design at Student Instructional Farm CS Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur (UP) India. Data on 17 different characters were collected and analysized by standard procedure to identify the characters having significant desirable relationship and direct or indirect effects on grain yield.

The genotypes that were studied showed highly significant variability for all the characters, indicating the great opportunity of selection. Greater genotypic correlation coefficients than phenotypic correlation coefficients for most of the characters showed true relationship. So the selection of elite genotypes on the basis of such characters would be fruitful. Cob weight, kernels per row, kernels per cob and shelling percentage showed highly significant positive relationship with grain yield per plant. Seed vigour index, cobs per plant, cob weight and kernels per row have had high direct positive impact on grain yield per plant at both genotypic and phenotypic level. Therefore, the above mentioned characters may be utilized for making efficient selection strategy to select the elite genotypes.