Abstract

Correlation co-efficients (genotypic and phenotypic) and path co-efficients were worked out based on the mean values obtained from 20 F2 Family means of cross combinations derived from a 5x5 diallel set for 15 characters. Significant positive correlation with yield was exhibited by primary leaf area, days to maturity, plant height, branch number, leaf number, total leaf area, pod number, pods per cluster, cluster number and total drymatter production. The above yield components also exhibited significant positive inter- correlations among themselves. Pod number followed by days to maturity and leaf number had positive direct effect on grain yield. Branch number followed by plant height, harvest index and primary leaf area contributed only negative direct effects on grain yield. Sinnificant positive correlation of primary leaf area with total drymatter production and grain yield indicated that this character could be relied on as an indicator of superior genotypes for total dry matter production and grain yield even at the seedling stage itself.

Keywords: Black gram, Correlation, Path Analysis.