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Background: Setaria italica is an essential crop in the developing world and yield levels are low. To improve the yield, the utilization of diverse germplasm in a breeding program is vital. Methods: The present study aimed to characterize 50 genotypes in the first year and out of 50, 10 genotypes in the second year using multivariant traits. Wide variation was observed in both the qualitative and quantitative characteristics. Analysis of variance revealed the presence of significant differences for most symptoms. Higher estimates of GCV were followed for grain yields, followed by panicle lengths and organic outcomes. Higher estimates of PCV were observed for plant height and leaf length, followed by leaf width. Low GCV and PCV were recorded as leaf length, 50% flowering in days. PCV study indicated direct selection based on characters, panicle weight, test weight and strawweight showed a high and positive effect on grain yield per plant in both rainy and summer season indicating the proper relationship between these characters with grain yield per plant, which helps indirect selection for these traits thus in improving the grain yield per plant. Variability in foxtail millet germplasm allows plant breeders to effectively select specific donor lines for genetic improvement of foxtail millet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fifty three germplasm of chickpea were undertaken to determine relationships among yield and some yield components using direct (variability, heritability, and genetic advance) and indirect selection parameters (correlation and path coefficient analysis). The present investigation was carried out at the Agriculture Research Farm of Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi during the rabi season of 2011-12. Significant genetic variations were observed among the genotypes for days to flower, days to maturity, plant height, number of branches plant-1, number of pods plant-1, 100-seed weight and seed yield plant-1. Correlation studies revealed that seed yield was positively and significantly correlated with number of primary branches, number of secondary branches and number of pods plant-1. The path coefficient analysis based on seed yield, as a dependent variable, showed that pods plant-1 had the greatest direct effect on seed yield (0.81) followed by number of secondary branches. Both correlation and path analysis indicated that pods plant-1 and number of secondary branches were the major direct contributors to seed yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present investigation the level of diversity in 44 potato germplasm was assessed using principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis and interrelationships among ten different quantitative characters was also worked out. A variation of 94.52 per cent was recorded due to first seven principal components on various genotypes. The first PC had high positive weight for plant height, average tuber weight and tuber yield per plant and second was more related to number of shoot per plant, number of tuber per plant and tuber yield per plot. The forty-four potato germplasm were grouped into eleven well distinct clusters. Genotypes belonging to cluster IV, II, IX and VIII were found diverse and best in all respect. Positive and significant correlation of tuber yield observed for plant height followed by number of shoots per plant, average weight of tuber, tuber yield per plant and marketable yield per plot. Path analysis revealed that marketable yield per plot, tuber yield per plant, number of tuber per plant and plant height had highest positive direct effect on tuber yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted during kharif season 2013 to estimate the correlations and path coefficients for ten quantitative characters among 72 cowpea germplasm. Seed yield per plant had positive significant correlation with days to 50% flowering, plant height, primary branches per plant, pods per plant, pod length, seeds per pod and 100-seed weight at both genotypic and phenotypic levels. Path coefficient analysis revealed that primary branches per plant and 100-seed weight had high direct positive effect on seed yield per plant at both genotypic and phenotypic levels. Pod length, days to maturity, 100 seed weight and pod wall proportion had high positive direct effects on seed yield per plant at only genotypic level. Correlation and path analysis indicated that for increasing seed yield in cowpea direct selection should be carried out for higher values of primary branches per plant, pods length, days to maturity and 100 seed weight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]