Correlation and Path Analysis among Some Agro-Morphological Traits in Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Genotypes under High and Low Temperatures of Sudan

Fatih E. A. Hamza; Tahani Y. Elagib; Amani H. Eltayeb; Atif . E. Idris

Fatih E. A. Hamza Agricultural Research Corporation, Merowe Research Station, Sudan
Tahani Y. Elagib Agricultural Research Corporation, Biotechnology and Biosafety Research Center, Khartoum, Sudan
Amani H. Eltayeb Department of Agronomy, College of Agricultural Studies, Sudan University of Science and Technology, Shambat, Khartoum, Sudan
Atif . E. Idris Department of Agronomy, College of Agricultural Studies, Sudan University of Science and Technology, Shambat, Khartoum, Sudan

Keywords: Chickpea, correlation, heat stress, late sowing, path analysis, seed yield, traits

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to assess the effect of temperature on seed yield and agro-morphological traits as well as correlation and path analysis in 48 chickpea genotypes grown under normal and late sowing conditions in two locations (Merowe and Gezira) during 2018/ 19. The forty eight genotypes comprised released varieties as checks and lines from ICARDA. The study was carried out in alpha lattice design with three replications. Analysis of variance showed that differences among genotypes, sowing dates, locations and their first order interaction were highly significant (P ≤ 0.01) for the most studied traits. Under both environments, the correlation studies revealed that seed yield was positively and highly significantly correlated with 100 – seed weight, biomass, harvest index and seed yield per plant. The path analysis confirmed that the biomass followed by harvest index, seed yield per plant, 100 - seed weight, seed yield per plant, number of seeds per pod and number of pods per plant had the maximum positive direct influence on seed yield under heat stress and non- heat stress conditions. It was concluded that biomass, harvest index, 100 – seed weight and seed yield per plant can be good selection criteria for improving seed yield in chickpea under heat stress and non - heat stress conditions in Gezira and Northern states of Sudan.