Correlation and path analysis for yield and growth attributes in adzukibean

Twenty-six genotypes of adzuki bean were evaluated at the experimental farm of the Department of Crop Improvement, CSK HPKV, Palampur, in RBD with three replications during kharif, 2007. Data were recorded on the nine yield traits and ten growth parameters. Significant positive correlation and high genotypic correlation of aerial biomass at maturity, yield/day, yield/day with respect to reproductive phase, biomass/day to plant growth, pods/plant, AGR and LAD with seed yield/plant were observed. It was found through path analysis that yield/day and AGR had high direct effect on seed yield at genotypic and phenotypic levels. Plant height, pod length, pods/plant, seeds/pod, harvest index, aerial biomass at maturity, yield/day, yield/day with respect to reproductive phase, biomass/day to plant growth, leaf area and 100-seed weight had also contributed indirectly and positively through yield/day towards seed yield/plant. AGR besides having direct effect also showed indirect effect through pods/plant whereas LAD showed only indirect effect in combination through AGR. Therefore, selection, if practiced for AGR, would prove to be more effective for bringing about improvement in seed yield in adzuki bean. Based on the present studies, two adzuki bean genotypes viz., HPAB-27 and HPAB-30 were found highest yielding and having better combination of the yield and its component traits among all the genotypes.