Maysoun Mohamad Saleh* ⁽¹⁾ Wessam Yahia Akel⁽²⁾ Razzan  Mohamad Ali  Al Naggar⁽³⁾

(1) Genetic Resources Department, General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research (GCSAR), Damascus, Syria.
(2). Swaida Agricultural Research Center, (GCSAR), Swaida, Syria.
(3). Crops Research Administration, (GCSAR), Damascus, Syria.

(*Corresponding author: Dr. Maysoun Mohamad Saleh.
E-Mail: mzainsamasaleh@gmail.com).

Received: 15/09/ 2015                                     Accepted: 05/10/ 2015

Abstract

The study was conducted at Izraa Research Station, General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research (GCSAR), in Syria during two growing seasons 2010 and 2011. Fifteen tetraploid wheat genotypes (2n= 4x=28) were planted under rainfed conditions (4 genotypes belong to species Ttiticum carthlicum, 3 genotypes belong to species Ttiticum polonicum, 8 genotypes belong to species Ttiticum dicoccum), and three local checks sham3, sham5, and Douma1, in randomized complete block design (RCBD), with three replications. Correlations and path coefficient analysis between yield components (number of fertile tillers, spike peduncle length, number and weight of grains per main spike, thousand grain weight) with the individual plant grain yield. Results showed that grain yield had a positive significant correlation (P≤0.01) with each of number of fertile tillers, spike peduncle length, number and weight of grains per main spike (r=0.636**، 0.366**،0.656**، 0.509**), respectively. Results of path coefficient analysis showed that the direct effect of number of fertile tillers on grain yield was high and positive (0.743), while the direct effect was medium and positive for each of number and weight of grains  in main spike and also  thousand grain weight on grain yield (0.239, 0.285, 0.21), respectively. Results also showed that number of fertile tillers had  the highest contribution %  in yield (55.32%), followed by the indirect effect of number of grains in main spike through the weight of grains in main spike (13.15%), then the direct effect of each of number and weight of grains in main spike (8.60, 8.17%), respectively. The study confirmed the importance of number of  fertile tillers, and number and weight of grains per spike, as selection indices for high yield in wheat, because of their significant correlation, and high relative importance with yield, either through direct or indirect effects.

Key Words: Wheat genotypes, Yield components, Correlation, path coefficient analysis.

Full paper in Arabic:تحديد الأدلة الانتخابية في طرز القمح المبدئي باستخدام معامل الارتباط وتحليل المسار