Path coefficient and correlation studies in guava crop (Psidium guajava L.)

Path coefficient analysis measures the degree of mutual relationship between two or more variables which is imperative to develop new cultivar with desired characters. Phenotypic path coefficient analysis of fruit weight Vs. other eleven critical diagnosable characters was done. Among the eleven characters studied pollen grain size (0.139), length of fruit (0.086), diameter of fruit (0.707) and acidity content (0.017) had positive direct effect on fruit weight, while other rest characters i.e., size of flower (−0.025), days required to fruit maturity (−0.150), number of seeds/fruit (0.007), TSS (−0.114), Total sugar content (−0.229), reducing sugar content (−0.090) and non reducing sugar content (−0.178) reflected direct negative effect on fruit weight. Genetic path co-efficient shows that fruit weight had positive effect with size of flower (1.469), Diameter of fruit (1.364), acidity content (0.172), and reducing sugar content (1.357) while remaining parameters i.e., pollen grain size, length of fruit, days required to fruit maturity, number of seeds/fruit, TSS, Total sugar content and non reducing sugar content showed negative direct effect. Analysis of environmental path coefficient revealed positive effect of length of fruit, diameter of fruit, days required to fruit maturity, number of seeds/fruit, TSS, acidity content, total sugar and non reducing sugar content with fruit weight.