Character association and path analysis for fruit yield and it's contributing traits in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

Abstract

Experiment was conducted with thirty cucumber genotypes at the Experimental Farm of the Department of Vegetable Science, Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, Himachal Pradesh during Kharif season of 2015 with an objective to find out the contribution of nineteen important traits on yield. Results revealed that yield plant−1 had positive significant association with average fruit weight, fruit length and diameter, marketable fruits plant−1, harvest duration, vine length, primary branches plant−1, seed length, hundred seed weight, germination percentage, seed vigour index I and II, whereas, yield plant−1 had negative significant correlation with node number bearing first female flower, days to first harvest, total soluble solids and severity of four foliar diseases. Path analysis provided a clear picture that, harvest duration had maximum positive direct effect, followed by marketable fruits plant−1 while, days to first harvest had maximum negative direct effect followed by severity of downy mildew on yield plant−1. Further, harvest duration exerted maximum positive indirect effect via marketable fruits plant−1 whereas; severity of powdery mildew showed maximum negative indirect effect via harvest duration on yield plant−1. Thus, while conducting selection for yield improvement in cucumber, a breeder will have to emphasize on the early genotypes having more average fruit weight, longer fruits, more fruit diameter, more number of marketable fruits and primary branches plant−1, longer vine as well as harvest duration, more seed length, seed germination percentage, vigour index I and II with minimum severity of economically important foliar diseases.