Correlation and Path Analysis Studies in Ridge Gourd [Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb.]*

Correlation and path analysis studies on different yield and yield attribute traits in 20 genotypes of ridge gourd revealed that fruit yield per vine had highly significant and positive association with number of fruits per vine (G=0.951, P=0.450), fruit yield per plot (G=0.778, P=0.684), fruit length (G=0.600, P=0.547) and significant and positive correlation with number of branches at 90 DAS (G=0.407, P=0.362). Whereas, rind thickness (G=0.614), average fruit weight (G=0.425) and vine length at 90 DAS (G=0.332) are found to be significant at genotypic level. Path analysis for fruit yield per vine revealed that, fruit yield per plot (G=0.760, P= 0.390), fruit length (G=0.669, P=0.558), number of branches (G=0.163, P=0.424), and number of leaves (G=0.031, P=0.027) exhibited maximum positive and direct effects on fruit yield per vine at both genotypic and phenotypic level indicating their true positive significant association with fruit yield per vine.