CORRELATION AND PATH CO-EFFICIENT ANALYSIS FOR ACHENE YIELD AND YIELD COMPONENTS IN SUNFLOWER

Twelve sunflower genotypes viz. A-43, A-75, A-88, A-132, A-133, A-185, G-33, G-46, G-51, G-68, G-100 and HBRS-1 were grown in the research field of the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, during the year, 2005 following a triplicate randomized complete block design lay out. Variability among these genotypes was assessed for plant height (cm), number of leaves per plant, internodal length (cm), stem diameter at base (mm), head diameter (cm), head type, 100-Achene weight (g), achene weight per head (g) and oil contents (%). Genotypic and phenotypic correlations among these traits and their direct and indirect effects on achene weight per head were estimated. The genotypes were significantly different for all the traits studied. The genotype HBRS-1 had the best performance for most of the characters under discussion. Achene weight per head had positive and significant genotypic and phenotypic correlations with plant height, internodal length and head diameter. The correlations of 100-achene weight with stem diameter and head diameter were also positive and significant at both phenotypic and genotypic levels. Internodal length followed by stem diameter at base and head diameter had the highest direct effects on achene weight per head. 100-achene weight had high indirect effects on achene weight per head via stem diameter and head diameter. Stem diameter at base, head diameter and 100-achene weight can be used as indirect selection criteria for the improvement of achene yield.