Genetic Association between Foliage Yield and Contributing Traits in Vegetable Chenopods: Implications for Genetic Improvement

Abstract

A two-year study was conducted to evaluate the foliage yield potential in 13 germplasm lines of Chenopodium album for 3 successive cuttings. Correlations among foliage yield and its contributing traits, along with path analysis was also worked out. Foliage yield was maximum for C. album IC 107297, followed by C. album H.P. and C. album amaranticolor. The genotype × year interaction was non-significant for all the traits except stem diameter and moisture content. Leaf size, plant height and stem diameter showed significant positive correlation with foliage yield both at phenotypic and genotypic levels in all the cuttings. Chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b showed positive association with carotenoid content and negative association with ascorbic acid in all the cuttings as well as on pooled basis. Significant negative association was observed between leaves/plant and foliage yield at genotypic level in all the cuttings (Ist cutting: -0.472*; IInd cutting: -0.414*; IIIrd cutting: -0.480*) as well as on pooled basis (-0.591**). Protein content negatively affected foliage yield in all the cuttings. Fibre content had high negative value of direct path for pooled data but positively influenced foliage yield indirectly via leaves/plant, stem diameter, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and protein content. Ascorbic acid positively affected yield in Ist cutting as well as on pooled basis. Leaf size had high positive direct effect and significant positive association with foliage yield that indicates a true relationship between these traits. Leaf size also indirectly affected foliage yield in a positive direction through majority of other traits. Thus, direct selection for leaf size should be exercised to bring about improvement in foliage yield in C. album.