Studies on correlation, path analysis and principal component analysis for yield, quality and seed parameters in forage sorghum

Character association studies are very important for developing improved cultivars in any crop. An experiment was planned to study the correlations and path coefficients between various green and dry fodder yields affecting morphological and quality traits in forage sorghum germplasm lines. The correlation and path analysis studies were carried out on 50 germplasm lines of Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench. Green fodder yield was found to be positively and significantly associated with plant height, leaf breadth, dry fodder yield, green fodder yield/plant/day, dry fodder yield/plant/day, crude protein yield, seedling length and seedling vigor index I. This indicated that selection based on these characters would undoubtedly enhance the fodder yield performance of forage sorghum genotypes. Path coefficient analysis showed that seed germination, green fodder yield, plant height and crude protein percent were important characteristics for the improvement of dry fodder yield in forage sorghum. The first six principal components (PCs) explained 76.28% of the total variability.