Correlation and Path Coefficient Analysis among Common Bean Genotypes at Hawassa, Southern Ethiopia
Tasew Derese *
Sidama Agricultural Research Institute (Hawassa Agricultural Research Center), Ethiopia.
Hussein Mohammed Ali
Hawassa University (College of Agriculture), Ethiopia.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Correlation and path coefficient analysis are very important for effective variety selection. Hence, 49 common bean genotypes were tested at Wondo Tika in 2021 using simple lattice design to determine the correlation between seed yield and yield related traits.
For most of the traits genotypic correlation coefficients were higher than phenotypic correlation coefficients indicating that genotypes had larger effect on the expression of traits than the environmental influence. Grain yield showed positive and highly significant (P<0.01) correlation with pods per plant (PP), seeds per pod (SPP), pod length (PL), number of branches (NB) and harvest index (HI), both at genotypic and phenotypic levels. Grain yield had negative and highly significant (P<0.01) correlation with biological yield (BY), both at genotypic and phenotypic levels. The path coefficient analysis showed that harvest index (HI), biological yield (BY) and number of branches (NB) had the largest positive direct effects on grain yield both at genotypic and phenotypic levels. Genotypes MALB-100, H/dume, MADP039, MADP0032, MALB-96 and MADP0018 were high yielders. Genotype MALB-100 is also characterized by its relatively early flowering. It is appropriate for moisture stress area where terminal drought is the main concern. Making crosses among these selected genotypes, are recommended to develop high yielding, better quality and consumer preferred varieties.
Keywords: Common bean, correlation, genotypes, path coefficient