Correlation study of traits associated with shoot fly resistance in recombinant inbred lines (RILs) population of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]

Abstract

The shoot fly resistance in sorghum appears to be a complex trait and depends upon the interaction of a number of component characters, which finally sum up in the expression of shoot fly resistance. The present study was conducted during Summer-2019 to assess the correlation and study the relationship of different plant characters with shoot fly resistance in sorghum. Observations were recorded on the shoot fly components traits viz., dead heart percentage and oviposition as well as the morphological characters viz., trichome density, leaf glossiness, seedling vigour, 100 seed weight and grain yield per plant. The experimental data were collected and analyzed for correlation. Shoot fly resistance was found to be significant and positively correlated with components traits viz., seedling vigour, glossiness and trichome density at the abaxial and the adaxial surface of leaves lamina. Whereas a hundred grains weight and grain yield per plant were showed strongly significant, but negatively correlated with dead heart percentage at 21, 28 DAE and oviposition% in 14, 21 DAE respectively. The strong correlation of grain yield and these traits could indicate that improvement of all the characters is possible simultaneously and might be used to select shoot fly-resistant lines from the segregating breeding materials for use in sorghum improvement.