Study on character association and path analysis in little millet (Panicum sumatrense L.)

Little millet (Panicum sumatrense L.) is one of the neglected crops which is becoming popular as nutri-cereal. Development of high yielding stable cultivars may offer better economic return from this crop. Assessment of interrelationship among important economic traits helps to identify major yield component traits which could be selected for overall yield improvement hence development of superior genotypes. In this context, 50 genotypes of little millet were evaluated during kharif 2021, to identify important yield component traits through correlation and path analysis of 16 quantitative traits. Estimates of genotypic correlation coefficients were found to be higher than the estimates of phenotypic correlation coefficients, indicating that association were majorly under genetic control. It was revealed that direct selection based on fodder yield per plant, plant height and 1000 seed weight may help in augmenting grain yield in the experimental material, whereas, harvest index came out as the most important character for indirect selection.