Abstract

Correlation coefficients among sixteen characters of sugarcane comprising of yield, quality and physiological aspects were studied from data collected on 1656 progenies obtained from 39 biparental crosses. The correlation was also studied in the progenies of individual families. The pattern of character association in the families showed that number of millable canes was positively associated with clump yield in all the families. Stalk height was the next important character associated with single stalk weight and clump yield in majority of the families. The correlation of single stalk weight and stalk diameter with yield was positive in majority of the families, and the correlation between these two characters was positively significant in all the families investigated. Number of millable canes and stalk diameter were negatively associated whereas number of millable canes and stalk height had a positive correlation only in five families. A balanced combination of these three characters seems to be essential while exercising selection for yield improvement in the population. The correlation coefficient between cane yield and sucrose per cent was not significant in majority of the families. The leaf area had highly significant positive association with clump yield and its component traits such as stalk diameter and single stalk weight when the population was considered as a whole. The results of the correlation between Hand Refractometer brix and sucrose per cent indicated that, Hand Refractometer brix at 240 days can be considered as an early indicator of juice quality during selection for sucrose per cent in the seedling population and thus aiding in the selection of early maturing high quality clones

Keywords: Sugarcane, correlation, cane yield, sucrose, family selection