Correlation and path analysis studies between biomass and other characters in Bombax ceiba L.

Abstract

The genotypic and phenotypic correlation and path analysis of plant biomass, plant height, stem diameter and other biomass component traits were analyzed in thirty provenances of Bombax ceiba. In general, the magnitude of genotypic correlations was higher than phenotypic correlations. Stem diameter and plant biomass showed highly significant genotypic correlations with all the traits except the number of secondary branches and plant biomass with leaf biomass. Plant height had the highest positive direct effect on plant biomass followed by the number of primary branches/plant and the number of leaves/plant. On the basis of this study, a higher plant biomass would be achieved through direct selection based on plant height, the number of primary branches and the number of leaves/plant. Therefore, the study is important in selection of traits of economic importance based on other characters, whose direct effect is not visible.