Correlation studies in yard long bean (Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis (L.) Verdcourt) crosses under open field and rainshelter

Abstract

Correlation analysis was done among ten crosses of yard long bean for vegetative, flowering and yield characters, in order to understand the nature of interrelationship among the characters under two different environment conditions viz., open field and rainshelter at the Department of Vegetable Science, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram during 2017. Positive correlation was observed for pod yield per plant with fruit set percentage, number of pods per plant and pollen viability both in open field and rainshelter (0.639, 0.804; 0.791, 0.574 and 0.801, 0.576 respectively). Pod length was positively correlated with pod girth (0.652 and 0.587 respectively) and pod weight (0.820 and 0.806 respectively) under open field and rainshelter. Fruit set percentage showed strong positive association with number of pods per plant (0.759 and 0.813) and pollen viability (0.777 and 0.806), under both conditions. Number of pods per plant exhibited significant positive correlation with pollen viability in open field (0.986) as well as rainshelter (0.938). Correlation studies revealed that, in open field as well as under rainshelter, pod yield per plant showed significant positive correlation with fruit set percentage, pods per plant and pollen viability and hence selection of hybrids based on these characters could be effective for improving pod yield of the crop.