2024, Vol. 7, Issue 9, Part I

author(s)
Ambika More, RR Dhutmal, JD Deshmukh and HV Kalpande

abstract
Rabi sorghum's yield in India is very low and highly variable from year to year, mostly because of the post-flowering drought. The correlation coefficient measures the link between qualities and indicates the extent to which particular crop characteristics are connected with productivity. If distinct yield and drought related features have been thoroughly established, selection for drought adaptable genotypes will be desirable. Present investigation was therefore undertaken to assess the correlation between grain yield and drought toleranttraits in F₃ generations of sorghum.The experimental material comprised of 20 F₃ progenies derived from four crosses viz., PR-105 x B-35, CSV-29R x M-35-1, M-31-2B x 104-B, RSLG-2438 x 774-B and two check varieties namely Parbhani Moti and Parbhani Supermoti. Experiment was laid down in randomized block design with two replications at Sorghum Research Station V.N.M.K.V. Parbhani during rabi 2022. Each progeny was sown in two rows in each replication with 45 cm distance between the rows and 15 cm plant to plant distance. Observations were recorded on five randomly selected plants in each line from each replication for eleven yield and drought related characters.Analysis of variance showed significant differences among the progenies, parents and checks for all the characters, indicating presence of variability in progenies.Grain yield per plant show positive and significant association with plant height (G=0.4923, P=0.5413), days to physiological maturity (G=0.2705, P=0.2596), no. of leaves per plant(G=0.824, P=0.754), leaf area(G=0.347, P=0.838),flag leaf area(G=0.650, P=0.409),root: shoot ratio(G=0.650, P=0.648), transpiration index(G=0.294, P=0.196), relative water content(G=0.554, P=0.629), fodder yield per plant (G=0.5566, P=0.5869) and harvest index (G=0.8526, P=0.8008) at both genotypic and phenotypic level indicating that increase in grain yield is because of increase in one or more of the above characters. Days to 50% flowering and days to maturity had shown non-significant but positive correlation with grain yield at both the levels indicating late maturing genotypes yields higher. The characters plant height, days to physiological maturity, plant height, flag leaf area, transpiration index, chlorophyll content, relative water content, days to physiological maturity, fodder yield per plant, and harvest index showed positive direct effect on grain yield per plant at both genotypic and phenotypic level.