Division of Genetics, I.A.R.I., New Delhi and Department of Plant Breeding, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
1Present address: Vivekananda Laboratory, Almora, U.P.
Online published on 25 January, 2012.
Studies on variability, correlations and path co-efficients for lodging and its components were conducted on a set of sixty two cultures of barley. Estimates were made at phenotypic, genotypic and environmental levels. Culm diameter, culm weight/unit length and plant height had the highest heritability and were followed by 2nd internode length, lodging score and culm wall thickness respesc-tively. Lodging score was significantly associated with four of the five components studied. Plant height was positively associated with 2nd internode length and negatively with culm weight/unit length. Internode length was negatively associated with culm weight/unit length and culm wall thickness and the latter two were related to one another positively.
The path coefficient studies revealed that plant height and culm wall thickness were the only components making direct contribution to lodging score. Effects of culm weight/unit length was indirect via plant height and culm wall thickness. Internode length exerted its influence via plant height. The joint contribution of all the five components studied accounted for 69, 75 and 55% variation only, in lodging score, at the phenotypic, genotypic and environmental levels respectively, The results have been discussed in relation to their implications on the development of lodging resistant cultures.
