Genetic Variability, Correlation and Path Analysis of Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Genotypes under Terminal Heat Stress

Present study investigated the genetic variability, correlation and path analysis on various yield attributing traits of forty nine bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes grown at Kalyani, Nadia, West Bengal during rabi season for two consecutive years 2013–2014 and 2014–2015 enduring with terminal heat stress. Wide spectrum variability was revealed for all the characters studied which could provide scope for improvement through selection. High Phenotypic Coefficient of Variation (PCV), Genotypic Coefficient of Variation (GCV), heritability, Genetic advance (GA), GA (%) of mean was observed in the characters viz., proline content, no. of tillers plant⁻¹, no. of spikes plant⁻¹, no. of grains spike⁻¹ and yield plant⁻¹ under late heat stress condition. The genotypes viz. GW 2011-403, WSM 135, GW 2008-153, RAJ 4358, RAJ 4362, J-07-47 & UP 2783 were found to be high yielders may exploit towards heat tolerance. Yield plant⁻¹ was found to have significant positive association with plant height, no. of tillers plant⁻¹, no. of spikes plant⁻¹, spike length, no. of spikelets spike⁻¹, no. of florets spike⁻¹, no. of grains spike⁻¹, floret fertility and grain weight spike⁻¹ at both genotypic and phenotypic levels; while a significant negative correlation was observed with chlorophyll-a and total chlorophyll content at both the levels and chlorophyll-b at genotypic level only. Considering path coefficient analysis, no. of tillers plant⁻¹, spike length, no. of florets spike⁻¹ and floret fertility were mentioned as selection criteria under late heat stress.