Genetic variability and association studies in barnyard millet (Echinochloa frumentacea (Roxb.) Link) germplasm under sodic soil condition.

Barnyard millet is one of the hardiest, climate resilient and fast growing crop that is bestowed with high nutrient content in grains. An experiment was carried out in barnyard millet under natural sodic soil condition to study the genetic variability and association for different morphological and yield contributing traits. Ninety nine barnyard millet genotypes including two commercial check varieties viz., MDU1 and CO (KV) 2 were evaluated under sodic soil condition. Analysis of variance revealed significant variation for all the characters studied. High phenotypic coefficient of variation, genotypic coefficient of variation and heritability were recorded for plant height, ear width, lower raceme length, flag leaf length, flag leaf width and grain yield per plant. Association studies indicated that grain yield per plant had highly significant positive correlation with days to fifty percent flowering, days to maturity, ear width and thousand grain weight. Path coefficient analysis indicated that the highest direct and indirect effect on grain yield per plant was exhibited by days to fifty percent flowering. Thus, days to fifty percent flowering, days to maturity, ear width and thousand grain weight can be used as selection indices for increasing grain yield of barnyard millet in sodic soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]