Correlation and path analysis assessment for yield traits in brinjal (Solanum melongena L.)

Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) is an important vegetable which belongs to the family Solanaceae. An experiment on “Correlation and path analysis assessment for yield traits in brinjal (Solanum melongena L.)” was conducted in the field of Department of Vegetable Science at Kittur Rani Channamma College of Horticulture, Arabhavi, Belagavi district (Karnataka). The research results indicated that fruit yield per plant had positive and high significant (at p=0.01) association with number of fruits per plant (rg=0.802 and rp=0.707), average fruit weight (rg=0.473 and rp=0.585), fruits girth (rg=0.401) and also it had positive and significant (at p=0.05) association with fruits girth (rp=0.214), plant height at 120 DAT (rg=0.184). But it had negative and high significant (at p=0.01) association with days to fifty per cent flowering (rg= -0.335). Among the eighteen traits chosen for path analysis, plant height at 60, 90 DAT, number of primary branches per plant at 60, 90 DAT, stem girth at 120 DAT, days to first flowering, number of fruits per plant, average fruit weight and fruit length had significant positive direct effect on fruit yield per plant. Therefore, direct selection for these traits would be rewarding for improvement of fruit yield.