Path Analysis of Yield Components in Rice

Abstract

Path coefficient analysis was made on the data obtained from an experiment with 74 strains of rice. The path analysis revealed that the number of ear bearing tillers makes the largest positive and direct contribution to grain yield followed by number of grains per panicle. Length/breadth ratio and 100 grain weight have a direct influence on yield. Most of the auxiliary characters contribution to yield, plant height has not been found to channelize its indirect influence through two biggest direct contributors. Hence, inclusion of shorter height as objective of breeding would not in any way jeopardize the breeding for improvement of ear bearing tillers and number of grains per panicle.