Correlation, heritability and path analysis of grain yield components in some maize genotypes (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

Maize (Zea mays L.) is an important cereal crop of the world and plays a key role in worldwide agriculture with highest production and productivity. Maize is also an important grain crop grown in Serbia, used as a component of feed. Many studies have been conducted on correlations, heritability and path analysis on grain yield. The results have been widely used in maize breeding programs. The present research was carried out at the Maize Research Institute “Zemun Polje” in Serbia during the 2021 growing season effects of grain yield and quantitative traits of maize. Six inbred lines were crossed according to complete diallel method. In this way fifteen hybrids and fifteen reciprocal combinations were obtained. The hybrids and reciprocal combinations derived from these parental components were used in this paper. The objective of study was to estimate direct and indirect effects of five morphological traits on grain yield by the application of the simple coefficient correlation, heritability and path coefficient analysis. 1000-kernel weight with the value of 0.365 had the strongest direct positive effect on grain yield. Positive direct effects on grain yield were also observed for ear length (0.202), ear diameter (0.248) and number of rows per ear (0.076), while negative direct effects were observed for cob diameter (-0.057). Thousand-kernel weight had the highest indirect positive effect on grain yield via ear diameter (0.232). Cob diameter had highest negative indirect effect on grain yield via ear diameter (-0.048). The coefficient of multiple determination (R2y12345) had a value of 0.428.