Studies on genetic variability, character association and path coefficient for seed yield and its contributing traits in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill]

Twenty elite breeding lines of soybean were studied for genetic variability, correlation and path coefficient for eighteen economically important traits. Six genotypes viz. PK-1272, PK-1274, PK-1281, PK-1283, PK-1284 and PK-1286 were found significantly superior in yield and other major yield contributing characters. In general, PCV were higher than the GCV and ECV values for all the characters, suggesting that these characters were relatively much influenced by the environment. The broad sense heritability estimates were high for pods/plant, followed by plant height, primary branches/plant and seed yield/plant whereas, pods/plant and plant height revealed high genetic advance. Seed yield showed significant positive correlations with total dry matter weight/plant, primary branches/plant, pods/plant, seed yield efficiency, 100-seed weight and harvest index. Protein and oil contents showed significant and negative association with each other. Path coefficient analysis indicated major role of pods/plant, total dry matter weight/plant, primary branches/plant, seed yield efficiency and 100-seed weight both directly and indirectly influenced seed yield. Therefore, main emphasis should be given on these traits during phenotypic selection for developing high yielding genotypes of soybean.