A study of correlations and path analyses of some traits in sunflower parental lines

The trial in this study was carried out in field conditions throughout three years from plots where seed production of sunflower parental lines was established. Eight genotypes were examined; namely RHA-UK, RHA-ST-59, RHA-SES-IMI, RHA-SNRF, RHA-E-ANN-65, RHA-RU-3, RHA-CDN, and RHA-N-M-1. All the examined genotypes are parental components of the best sunflower hybrids developed by the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Novi Sad, Serbia. Relationships between seed yield and eight different traits in sunflower were studied - oil and protein content, seed germination, 1000-seed weight, head diameter, number of branches and leaves and plant height. The same analyses were carried out for comparison of oil content. A highly significant positive correlation was determined between plant height and number of branches; plant height and the number of leaves; plant height and head diameter; plant height and seed yield; number of branches and yield; the number of leaves and yield; head diameter and seed yield; number of leaves and number of branches; number of leaves and head diameter and between seed germination and oil content. Path analysis indicated highest significant direct effect of plant height on yield (0.439**). The number of branches had a significant positive direct effect on yield (0.260*). In the study of indirect effects on yield, thirteen significant effects were determined. The study of direct effects on oil content showed that the plant height and number of leaves diameter had high significant effects (0.800** and -0.847**). The existence of indirect significant effects on oil content was determined in nine cases.