Variability and path analysis for yield components of different wheat genotypes

Abstract

The study was carried out to investigate the genotypic and phenotypic variability, heritability and relationship between wheat yield components. A randomized complete block design experiment was conducted, with sixteen wheat genotypes (Dukat, Dunavka, Fundulea 4, Iskra, Jedina, Jugoslavija, Kavkaz, Mačvanka 1, Marija, NS-5804, Pitoma, Poljana, Skopjanka, Tamiš, Vali PKA-7114 and Zvezda), in Novi Bečej (Vojvodina, Serbia), during 2016 and 2017 growing seasons. Grain weight per plant had the highest genotypic and phenotypic variability (15.45 and 20.58%, respectively), while spike length had the lowest ones (5.68 and 6.78%, respectively). High broad sense heritability was observed for plant height (H2=86.19%) and spike length (H2=71.73%). Heritability was low in the case of spike weight (H2=38.82%) and grain weight per spike (H2=26.56%), which indicates that environmental factors had higher impact on expression of these traits in relation to genetic factors. Path analysis revealed that spike weight and spike length had the highest significant direct positive effect on the grain weight per plant, while thousand grain weight had the highest significant negative effect. The grain weight per spike, number of grains per spike and spike length had a significant indirect effect, through spike weight, on grain weight per spike.