GENOTYPIC AND PHENOTYPIC PATH COEFFICIENT ANALYSIS FOR FRUIT YIELD AND ITS ASSOCIATED TRAITS IN CHILLI (CAPSICUM ANNUUM L.)

Abstract

This current was carried out to estimate the direct and indirect effect of characters associated with fruit yield in genotypes of chilli. This experiment was carried out at the Research Cum Instructional Farm, K.D. College of Horticulture and Research Station, Jagdalpur, Bastar, Chhattisgarh, under Mahatma Gandhi University of Horticulture and Forestry, Durg. Twenty genotypes of chillies, ranging from CGBC-1 to CGBC-20, along with the control variety Pusa Jwala were used in an experiment which was set up in a randomized block design of 21 treatments with three replications and 63 experimental plots. Parameters recorded for each genotype included germination, vegetative growth, flowering, fruit setting, fruit parameters, frequency of harvesting and fresh and dry fruit weight.The genotype study indicated that fruits per plant, primary branches, plant height, fruit measurements, fresh fruit weight, and dry fruit weight played significant roles in the productivity pathway. Genotype analysis showed that the factors fruits per plant, primary branches, plant height and fresh fruit weight were positively correlated with coefficients 0.696, 0.953, 0.442, and 0.355 respectively. In terms of phenotype study, it was found that plant architecture, flower production, fruit number, fruit size, and fruit weight were also responsible for the productivity, although the degree of contribution was not same for each of the pathways. The results suggest that yield improvement should involve several characters instead of a single character.