Academic Research Journal of Agricultural Science and Research
 

Academic Research Journal of Agricultural Science and Research 

Vol. 3(10), pp. 296-303. October, 2015.

ISSN: 2360-7874 

 DOI: 10.14662/ARJASR2015.062

Full Length Research

Studies of Heritability, Genetic Parameters, Correlation and Path Coefficient in Elite Maize Hybrids

Hailegebrial Kinfe¹, Yemane Tsehaye²

¹Tigray Agricultural Research Institute, Shire Center, Shire, Ethiopia

² Department of Plant Breeding and Agronomy, College of  Dry land Agriculture, Mekelle university, Mekelle, Ethiopia

Accepted 26 September 2015

A total of forty eight maize hybrids produced through a line by tester mating design with two checks of BH-546 and BH-547 were evaluated at Bako National Maize Research Center on station under rain fed condition in 2013 using alpha lattice design with two replications to determine the heritability, genetic advance, correlation and genetic parameters governing the inheritance of grain yield and related agronomical traits. Knowledge of the magnitude of genetic variability, heritability and genetic gains in selection of desirable characters could assist the plant breeder in ascertaining criteria to be used for the breeding programmes. The characters days to anthesis and silking, plant height, ear height, number of seeds per row, number of kernel rows per ear, ear length and diameter, 100 seed weight, and grain yield revealed higher values of heritability. High genetic advance coupled with heritability was observed for plant height, grain yield and number of kernel rows per ear. Thus selection based on these traits will be effective in maize breeding program. Genotypic and phenotypic correlation study among days to anthesis and silking showed highest positive significant association. Grain yield was positively and strongly correlated with ear length and diameter, ear height and plant height. The positive relationships observed in this study imply that the desirable traits in these hybrids could be exploited in further breeding activities for the development of composites and synthetics for the resource constrained maize farmers who cannot access hybrid seeds every year. The highest direct positive effect was obtained for ear diameter, days to 50% anthesis, anthesis silking interval, ear length and plant height, these traits were the most important yield contributing factors and an attempt should, therefore, be made for an effective selection of these traits.

Keywords: Correlation, Genetic Advance, Heritability, Maize Path coefficient Analysis



 

How to cite this article: Kinfe H, Tsehaye Y (2015). Studies of Heritability, Genetic Parameters, Correlation and Path Coefficient in Elite Maize Hybrids. Acad. Res. J. Agri. Sci. Res. 3(10): 296-303.

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