Genetic variability, character association and path analysis of oil yield and its component characters in Cymbopogon sp

• Published in: Acta ecologica Sinica 2021-12, Vol.41 (6), p.584-590
• Main Authors: Sarkar, Sougata, Meena, Rishikesh, Verma, Indrapal, Pal, Jagannath, Kumar, Kaushal, Thapa, Pratik Singh, Chaurasia, Vipin, Rahul, V.P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Correlation; Direct & indirect effects; Genetic advance; Heritability; Path analysis
• ISSN: 1872-2032; 1872-2032
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chnaes.2021.07.005

Seeking an opportunity for genetic improvement in aromatic grasses lead to an explorative study on the aspects of genetic variability, character association and path analysis between essential oil yield/plot and its contributing traits in twenty five genotypes of Cymbopogon sp. collected from different agro-climatic zones of India, grown in RBD with three replicates. Highly significant differences between genotypes were recorded for the traits that were brought under study. High genotypic and phenotypic coefficients of variation coupled with high heritability and moderate to high genetic advance over mean were recorded in geraniol content, citral content and geranyl acetate content indicating predominance of additive gene effects controlling these traits. Correlation and path analysis revealed that oil content, herb yield/plot and geranyl acetate content are overriding traits among all other growth and yield parameters, therefore more emphasis should be laid upon them while designing selection indices for improvement of essential oil yield.