Abstract

Sixty four barley genotypes were tested in 8 × 8 simple lattice design at Atsbi, Ofla and Quiha environments in Tigray region, in 2009/10. The objective was to estimate the extent of association between pairs of characters in genotypic and phenotypic levels and thereby compare the direct and indirect effects of the characters. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that there was a significant difference (p<0.001) among the sixty four genotypes for all the characters studied except for 1000-kernel weight at Quiha which was significant (p<0.05) and plant height was non-significant at Atsbi and Ofla. Grain yield had positive and highly significant phenotypic and genotypic correlation with 1000-kernel weight and biological yield in all environments except harvest index at Ofla. Grain yield had positive and highly significant phenotypic and genotypic correlation with 1000-kernel weight and biological yield in all environments except harvest index at Ofla. On the other hand, grain yield had negative and highly significant correlation at genotypic level with days to heading and days to maturity only at Ofla. Path analysis revealed that biological yield exerted maximum positive direct effect on grain yield across location followed by harvest index excluding Ofla. However, days to maturity exhibited highest negative direct effect on grain yield at Ofla.

Keywords: PCV; GCV; Path coefficient analysis; Direct effect