Genetic variability of the main yield related characters in soybean

Abstract

Information on yield correlations is derived from data on 16 yield-related traits in twenty-five genotypes of soybean. Analysis of variance, heritability, correlation coefficient and path analysis were carried out for the data recorded for various agronomic and yield traits and oil and protein content. Results revealed that there were highly significant differences among genotypes for all the characters. High heritability was recorded in 100-grain weight, days to maturity, days to flowering completion, days to pod initiation, leaf area, days to 50% flowering, oil contents, no. of shattered pods per plants, grain yield per plant, plant height and protein contents, respectively indicating the additive type of gene action. Correlation coefficient of yield was significant and positive with number of pods per plant. Increase in this trait will ultimately increase the grain yield. Path coefficient analysis revealed that days to pod initiation had maximum direct contribution to yield followed.