Correlation and path analysis in sugarcane ratoon

Abstract

The experiment was planted with fourteen early maturing high sugar genotypes along with two standards (CoJ64 and CoS687) during spring season of 2003 in randomized block design with plot size of 10 × 3.75 m2 in three replications, which was harvested during 2004 and ratoon was maintained to study the correlation and path analysis among different agronomic as well as quality characters with ratoon yield. The results indicated that the variance for juice quality trait is high. All the quality parameters like juice brix, sucrose per cent in juice and commercial cane sugar percent (CCS%) had highly positive and significant genotypic correlation with Pol percent in cane during November. Among the characters studied, number of millable canes (NMC), single cane weight and cane height showed significant positive correlation with ratoon yield and sugar tonnes per hectare (STH) but there was a weak negative correlation between NMC and single cane weight. Path analysis study reveled that two characters namely NMC and single cane weight showed significant positive direct contribution towards cane yield. This cane weight was contributed by cane height to cane yield. Although all the characters which showed significant positive correlation were important but on the basis of path analysis NMC and single cane weight had contributed more for ratoon yield. Therefore, for selection of high ratoon yield in early maturing genotypes more emphasis on NMC and single cane weight would be of much importance.