Correlation and path coefficient analysis in brinjal (Solanum melongena L.)

Abstract

A field experiment including fifteen brinjal genotypes was conducted at Bagusala (Village) instructional farm, Paralakhemundi, Department of Horticulture, M.S. Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Centurion University of Technology and Management during the rabi season of 2019-20. The observations were recorded on both quantitative and qualitative traits. Study on correlation between several characters shows that selection for fruit yield must based on plant height, plant spread (E-W), plant spread (N-S), stem girth, fruit length, fruit girth, fruit weight, number of fruits plant-1, fruit and shoot borer, pericarp thickness, flesh thickness, vitamin C and dry matter. In present study genotypic correlation was observed to be higher than the corresponding phenotypic correlations for all the character combinations and therfore it shows that the suppression of phenotypic expression under the influence of environmental factors. Path coefficient analysis of total fruit yield contributing attributes estimated that fruit length, showed maximum positive direct effect followed by vitamin C, pericarp thickness, number of primary branches plant-1, fruit weight, days to first flowering, TSS, stem girth and number of fruits plant-1 which indicated that these traits have to give much importance in selection programme for yield improvement in brinjal.