Trait Association and Path Analysis for Yield Attributes in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under Central Indian Conditions

Development of wheat varieties suitable for late planting permitted rice-wheat rotation, thus breeding for early maturity varieties suitable for different dates of planting may be an important objective in many cases. Modifications of agronomical characteristics such as grain yield, plant height, tillering ect. is often desirable, for example dwarf-ness in cereals is generally associated with logging resistance and fertilizer responsiveness. The present study aimed to investigate the genetic improvement of yield and its contributing characters in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) through correlation and path coefficient analyses. A total of 65 genotypes, including 5 male parents, 10 female parents, and 50 hybrids developed via Line × Tester mating design, were evaluated during the rabi seasons of 2019–20 and 2020–21 at Zonal Agricultural Research Station, Powarkheda (Narmadapuram), Madhya Pradesh. The experiment was laid out in a Randomised Block Design (RBD) with three replications across 195 plots. Data were recorded on yield and yield-associated traits. Genotypic and phenotypic correlation coefficients were computed and path coefficient analysis was performed, considering grain yield per plant as the dependent variable. Correlation analysis revealed significant positive associations of grain yield per plant with traits such as number of grains per plant, spikelets per spike, grain weight per spike, spike weight, and 1000-grain weight, suggesting their importance in yield enhancement. Conversely, traits like days to 50% heading and peduncle length showed negative correlations with grain yield. Path coefficient analysis identified the number of spikelets per spike, number of grains per spike, grain weight per spike, spike weight, and biological yield per plant as the most influential traits with high positive direct effects on grain yield. While certain traits like days to maturity, peduncle length, and harvest index per spike exhibited negative direct effects, their indirect contributions through key yield components were variable. The findings emphasise that prioritising spikelets per spike, grains per spike, grain weight per spike, and biological yield per plant in selection strategies can effectively enhance yield potential in wheat. These insights provide a robust genetic framework for breeders aiming to develop high-yielding, resource-efficient wheat genotypes suited to diverse agro-climatic zones.