L. MADHAVILATHA*, M. SUBBA RAO, M. SHANTHI PRIYA AND M. HEMANTH KUMAR

Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Agricultural Research Station, Perumallapalle, Tirupati – 517 505.

ABSTRACT

An experiment was carried out with fifty little millet elite germplasm lines to estimate genetic parameters, character association and path analysis for nine quantitative traits. High GCV and PCV were recorded for grain yield per plant and number of effective tillers per plant. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance was observed for grain yield per plant and number of effective tillers per plant indicating the importance of additive gene action in governing the inheritance of these traits. Character association studies revealed that plant height, length of inflorescence, number of effective tillers per plant and days to 50% flowering showed high positive and significant correlation with grain yield per plant at both phenotypic and genotypic levels. Path analysis revealed that plant height, number of effective tillers per plant and length of inflorescence showed positive association and direct effect on grain yield per plant at both phenotypic and genotypic levels.

KEYWORDS:

Little millet, genetic parameters, correlation and path analysis