Phenotypic correlation and path coefficient analysis for yield and its contributors in single crosses of maize (zea mays l.)‎ developed in Syria

الملخص EN

content of grains.

Results showed that all Additive Variance (VA) estimates were significant for all traits except starch content of grain.

Also, Domimance Variance (VD) estimates were significant for ear length, ear diameter, 100- kernel weight.

However, the magnitude of VA was consistently larger than that of VD for all traits except starch content of grain.

High narrow sense heritability estimates were obtained for protein (78%) and oil (78%) content of grains, ear diameter (69%) and 100- kernel weight (63%), emphasizing that environmental influence was low on these traits.

Results also indicated that grain yield correlated positively and significantly associated with ear diameter, 100- kernel weight, ear length and oil content of grains.

The path coefficient analysis estimates indicated that ear diameter, oil content of grains and 100- kernel weight can be considered as the most important sources of plant grain yield variation.

It has been concluded that ear diameter had high positive direct effects on grain yield and the breeder may consider this trait as the main selection criteria.This study was conducted at the Agricultural research Center, Homs, during the two seasons 2008 and 2009, to estimate the narrow sense heritability, correlation and path coefficient analysis for grain yield/plant (GY), ear length (EL), ear diameter (ED), 100- kernel weight, grain protein (Pro.), oil and starch (Sta.)