Elucidation of Genetic Variability for Seed Yield and Its Component Traits, along with Association Studies in pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millspaugh.]

The experimental material consisted of fifty-five pigeonpea genotypes sown in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications during the kharif, 2020-2021 crop seasons at the N. E. B. Crop Research Centre of G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand. The components of genetic variance, correlation, and path coefficient were estimated for seed yield and its component by using fifty five pigeonpea genotypes. The highest PCV (> 20%) was recorded for characters, viz. number of secondary branches per plant (62.34%), number of primary branches per plant (37.65%), number of pods per plant (33.00 %), and seed yield per plant (31.84%), and lowest estimates (< 10%) of PCV were found for days to 50% flowering (9.45%) and days to maturity (5.74%). The high estimates of GCV (> 20%) were recorded for traits viz., number of secondary branches (42.16%), number of pods per plant (32.65 %), and seed yield/plant (30.54%), and lowest estimates of GCV were (<10%) for days to 50% flowering (9.43%) and days to maturity (5.71%) number of seeds per pod (5.28 %) and 100-seed weight (9.51 %). The number of pods per plant, (0.858) had high positive direct effects on the seed yield per plant along with a positive and significant correlation (rp=0.77). Based on the present investigation, it is evident that delving into genetic variability, correlations, and path analyses provides a more effective approach for selection of superior cultivars for yield and related traits.