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GENETIC DIVERGENCE AND PATH COEFFICIENT ANALYSIS FOR SEED YIELD TRAITS IN SUNFLOWER(HELIANTHUS ANNUUS L.) HYBRIDS

MUHAMMAD ARSHAD, M. KASHIF ILYAS AND M. AYUB KHAN

Abstract: Twenty sunflower hybrids were evaluated for various parameters under field conditions to estimate genetic parameters, correlation coefficient, path analysis and linkage distance. Analysis of variance and mean performance for yield and its components revealed significant differences among all the genotypes for all the characters. Results revealed highly significant differences among all the hybrids. Days to maturity had positive correlation with head diameter but negative association with seed yield. However, seed yield had highly positive genotypic correlation with oil contents but non significant with 100 seed weight. Oil contents had negative association with days to flower initiation, completion and plant height but significantly positive correlation with seed yield. The direct effects of days to flower initiation, plant height and head diameter were positive while remaining characters exhibited negative direct effects. The highest direct effect was exhibited by days to flower initiation and plant height. Head diameter had also positive direct effect on seed yield. Cluster diagram using Ward’s method revealed three clusters at 50% linkage distance. Results revealed that the hybrids in cluster II, were short duration, high yielding more 100 seed weight and oil contents percentage. Therefore, it is suggested that these hybrids could be exploited under wide range of environments for better out come.

Oilseeds Programme, Crop Sciences Institute, National Agricultural Research Centre, Park Road, Islamabad, Pakistan. E-mail: marshadnarc@hotmail.com