Correlation and path coefficient analysis of yield and agronomic characters among open pollinated maize varieties and their F sub(1) hybrids in a diallel cross

A two-year study was conducted at the University of Ilorin Teaching and Research Farm Ilorin (Latitude 80 29'N, Longitude 40 35'E and annual rainfall of 945 mm), Nigeria, during the 2005 and 2006 cropping seasons. The experiment was conducted to determine the association between maize grain yield and other agronomic parameters (days to plant emergence, days to 50% tasselling, pollen shed and silking, anthesis-silking interval, plant and ear height, number of grain ear super(-1), 100-grain weight and maize grain yield) using ten open-pollinated maize varieties and their 45F sub(1) hybrids in a half diallel. Positive and significant phenotypicand genotypic correlations were found for days to 50% tasselling with plant and ear height and maize grain yield with plant height, number of grain ear super(-1) and 100-grain weight. Positive and significant environmental correlation was also recorded for grain yield with plant and ear height and 100-grain weight respectively. The path analysis indicated that, days to 50% silking, 100-grain weight and number of grain ear super(-1) had the highest direct effect on grain yield, while number of grain ear super(-1) had the highest moderate indirect negative effects on grain yield via ear height. Days to flowering, plant and ear height, number of grain ear super(-1) and 100-grain weight could be important selection criteria in obtaining proven open pollinated maize varieties and hybrids of high grain yielding.