Path Analysis Studies in Early and Medium Maturing Advanced Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Hybrids

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is one of the world's most important food crop. Two experiments consisting of evaluation of early and medium maturing advanced potato hybrids were carried out. Path analysis studies with 11 early and 6 medium maturing advanced potato hybrids were conducted at the experimental field. Results in early maturing potato hybrids indicated that the maximum positive direct effect on the yield was exerted by marketable tuber yield per plot both at phenotypic and genotypic levels followed by tuber weight per plant. Results in medium maturing potato hybrids indicated that the maximum positive direct effect on the yield was exerted by marketable yield per plot both at phenotypic and genotypic levels followed by number of stems at genotypic level and number of tubers per plant at phenotypic level. Thus, these characters deserve greater weightage during selection for yield.