Correlation and path coefficient analysis in spinach genotypes for yield and agronomic traits under Jalandhar, Punjab conditions

The present study investigated the genotypic and phenotypic correlations and path coefficients among various morphological, physiological and yield-related traits in twenty spinach genotypes under the agro-climatic conditions of Jalandhar, Punjab. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design with three replications. Correlation analysis revealed significant positive associations of first cutting yield with leaf area, number of leaves per plant, leaf length and leaf width at both genotypic and phenotypic levels. Path coefficient analysis further partitioned these correlations into direct and indirect effects. At the genotypic level, leaf area, leaf width and leaf length exhibited positive direct effects on first cutting yield, while the direct effect of the number of leaves per plant was negative despite its positive correlation. Similar trends were observed at the phenotypic level, with leaf area, leaf width and phenolics showing positive direct effects. The study highlights the importance of leaf area, leaf width and leaf length as key traits for direct selection to improve spinach yield in this region. Conversely, direct selection based solely on the number of leaves per plant, despite its positive correlation with yield, should be approached cautiously due to its negative direct effect. The findings provide valuable insights for spinach breeding programmes aimed at enhancing productivity and selecting for early emergence through traits like leaf length and leaf width, which showed negative correlation with days to emergence.