Correlation and path analysis of yield, yield contributing and malt quality traits of Ethiopian sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) genotypes

Abstract

Sorghum is a drought tolerant C 4 tropical crop with wide diversity grown for food, feed and beverages. There is a growing demand for food and malt type sorghum varieties due to the low supply of mat barley, and climate resilient and gluten free nature of the crop. This study was initiated to estimate the associations among traits and the relative importance of traits in influencing grain yield and malting quality of sorghum genotypes. The experiment was conducted at Fachagama in Mhoni ARC, Northern Ethiopia in 2016/2017 using αlattice design in two replications using supplementary irrigation. Data were collected on agronomic traits, and a selection of 300 g pure seeds were malted (18 hr steeping, 72 hr in 28°C germinated and 24 hr in 50°C dried) for malt quality analysis. Positive and significant correlations with grain yield of TKW (0.766, 0.715), KL (0.671, 0.644), KW (0.524, 0.491) HLW (0.532, 0.504, FHWE (0.257, 0.241) and DP (0.275, 0.271) at both phenotypic and genotypic level was found respectively. TKW exerted high positive genotypic (0.334) and phenotypic (0.287) direct effect and even higher indirect effect on grain yield, which indicated that attention should be given to TKW primarily for direct and indirect selection for yield improvement. Thousand kernel weight and fine grind hot water extract showed a significant positive correlation with diastatic power at genotypic level and increment in these traits results in advancement of diastatic power.

Study on Correlation and Path Analysis in Forage Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]

“…Number of leaves per plant showed positive significant correlation with leaf area (0.751), stem girth (0.497), leaf stem ratio (0.311) and green fodder yield per plant (0.691) whereas negative but non-significant association with total soluble solids (-0.024) These results supplement the findings of Mengesha et al [18] whereas negative but non-significant association with total soluble solids (-0.024); Total soluble solids exhibited positive and non-significant correlation with number of leaf area (0.013), stem girth (0.168) and green fodder yield per plant (0.101) while negative significant association with leaf stem ratio (-0.326) This is in accordance with the report of Kumar and Singh [19]. Leaf area revealed positive and significant association with stem girth (0.738), leaf stem ratio (0.377) and green fodder yield per plant (0.841) Similar results were also reported by, Dubey et al [20].…”