Genetic Variability and Character Association Studies in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em. Thell) for Seed Yield and Its Contributing Traits

Upendra Gautam *

Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Baba Raghav Das Post Graduate College, Deoria- 274001, Affiliated to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh- 273009, India.

Sateesh Chand Gaur

Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Baba Ragav Das Post Graduate College, Deoria, Uttar Pradesh- 274001, India.

Uday Pratap Singh

Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, National Post Graduate College, Barahalganj, Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh-273402, India.

Pratap Narayan Singh

Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Baba Ragav Das Post Graduate College, Deoria, Uttar Pradesh- 274001, India.

Kamlesh Kumar

Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Baba Ragav Das Post Graduate College, Deoria, Uttar Pradesh- 274001, India.

Ajay Gaur

Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Baba Ragav Das Post Graduate College, Deoria, Uttar Pradesh- 274001, India.

*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.


Abstract

This study investigated genetic variability, correlation and path analysis in wheat 54 genotypes, including 40 F1 hybrids, 14 parental lines, and a standard check variety (HD-3086). The parental lines consisted of 10 females and 4 males, with the hybrids evaluated using a randomized block design (RBD) during the 2020-21 and 2021-22 rabi season. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) revealed significant differences among genotypes for most traits, indicating considerable genetic variability. Genotypic correlation analysis identified strong positive relationships between grain yield per plant (GYPP) and key agronomic traits, such as spike length, spikelets per spike, grains per spike, grain yield per spike, harvest index, and test weight. Conversely, negative correlations with days to 50% flowering and plant height suggested that early flowering and shorter plants are beneficial for yield enhancement. Path coefficient analysis revealed that harvest index and biological yield had the most substantial positive direct effects on GYPP, while traits like protein content and days to maturity showed negative direct effects. Thus, using such traits like harvest index and biological yield in wheat improvement program could increase wheat yield”.

Keywords: Wheat, variability, correlation, path analysis


How to Cite

Gautam, Upendra, Sateesh Chand Gaur, Uday Pratap Singh, Pratap Narayan Singh, Kamlesh Kumar, and Ajay Gaur. 2025. “Genetic Variability and Character Association Studies in Wheat (Triticum Aestivum L. Em. Thell) for Seed Yield and Its Contributing Traits”. Journal of Advances in Biology & Biotechnology 28 (1):835-45. https://doi.org/10.9734/jabb/2025/v28i11938.