Correlation and path coefficient analysis in sugarcane germplasm under subtropics

Three hundred and thirty-nine genotypes of sugarcane germplasm were planted during spring 20062007 and 2007-2008 to study the associations among 15 characters. The cane yield, considered as the most important character of sugarcane was positively and significantly correlated with germination percentage, number of shoots, number of millable canes, stalk diameter, stalk length, number of internodes, length of internodes, stalk weight, number of green leaves, while with the top weight, it showed positive but non-significant correlation. Cane yield was negatively correlated with brix at all the stages. Sugarcane is influenced by a number of characters to various degrees of relationship among themselves. Thus, the path coefficient analysis for cane yield, as dependent (or effect) and the other characters as independent (or causes) have been done at phenotypic level. Hence, the present study was conducted to elucidate the genetic association among different agronomic traits in sugarcane germplasm under sub-tropics.