Study on path analysis in forage sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L) moench]

Present study comprising 45 F₁s along with 10 parents diallel fashion design was conducted during kharif season at the Crop Research Centre, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. The analysis of variance was found differing highly significantly for all the attributes of plant height, leaf area, days to 50 per cent flowering, stem girth, leaf breadth, total soluble solids, leaf length, leaves per plant, leaf-stem ratio and green fodder yield, which indicated greater variability in the existing material among the parents with respect to fodder yield and yield contributing parammeters. Phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation were estimated high (more than 25%) for leaf-stem ratio, leaves per plant and green fodder yield, which suggested more variability and scope for selection in improving these attributes. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance as per cent of mean was observed for plant height, leaf area, stem girth, leaves per plant, leaf-stem ratio, total soluble solids and green fodder yield per plant which showed that these traits were highly heritable and selection of high performing genotypes is possible to improve these attributes. Green fodder yield revealed significant and positive correlation with stem girth, leaves per plant and leaf-stem ratio at both genotypic and phenotypic levels. These characters may be considered as important yield components in forage sorghum. Leaf breadth displayed high order of direct effect on green fodder yield per plant followed by leaf area, plant height and leaves per plant at both phenotypic and genotypic levels that can lead to considerable improvement of green fodder yield in sorghum.