~ 1696 ~ International Journal of Chemical Studies 2021; 9(1): 1696-1698 P-ISSN: 2349–8528 E-ISSN: 2321–4902 www.chemijournal.com IJCS 2021; 9(1): 1696-1698 © 2021 IJCS Received: 04-10-2020 Accepted: 15-12-2020 VB Thange Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Agriculture, Parbhani, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani, Maharashtra, India AB Bagade Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Agriculture, Parbhani, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani, Maharashtra, India JD Deshmukh Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Agriculture, Parbhani, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani, Maharashtra, India Corresponding Author: VB Thange Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Agriculture, Parbhani, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani, Maharashtra, India Correlation and path coefficient analysis studies in mutant PVK 801 genotype of sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) VB Thange, AB Bagade and JD Deshmukh DOI: https://doi.org/10.22271/chemi.2021.v9.i1x.11471 Abstract Mutation was induced in sorghum cultivar ‘PVK 801’ with the help of gamma rays and EMS. The experimental material comprised of different mutagenic treatments treated with different concentrations viz., 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3% were EMS treatments and 10 kR + 0.1% EMS, 20 kR + 0.1% EMS, 30 kR + 0.1% EMS and 40 kR + 0.1% EMS were combination treatments and dry and wet control treatments were evaluated for correlation and path analysis for the grain yield and some of the independent traits in M2 generation. All these treatments were grown in randomized block design with three replications during Kharif 2019. The correlation studies revealed that positive and significant genotypic and phenotypic correlation of grain yield per plant with number of primaries per panicle, flag leaf area and 100 seed weight. The characters exerted direct positive effect on grain yield per plant with days to panicle initiation, days to maturity, plant height (cm), number of primaries per panicle, panicle length (cm), panicle width (cm) and 100 seed weight. Hence these traits can be considered as selection indices for sorghum improvement programme. The component of residual effect of path analysis was 0.4298. Keywords: Sorghum, mutation, correlation, path coefficient analysis, gamma rays, EMS Introduction Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] cultivation is the heart of dry land agriculture, it is a C4 and often cross pollinated plant with higher abiotic stress tolerance and higher photosynthetic efficiency. Cultivated sorghums originated about 5000-7000 years ago or earlier in Northern East Africa, probably in Sudan or Ethiopia. Sorghum ranks fifth in global cereal production and is an important source of food, feed, fiber and fuel. Sorghum is especially adapted to growth in hot, arid, or semi-arid climate. In India sorghum is grown in areas receiving 500 to 1000 mm annual rainfall and temperature varying from 26 to 32 o C. Correlation coefficients nearly describe the existence of association between characters. It is rather difficult to explain a system of correlation as the indirect association of the character increase. A positive genetic correlation between two desirable traits makes the job of the plant breeder easy for improving both traits simultaneously. Even the lack of correlation is useful for the joint improvement of the two traits. On the other hand, a negative correlation between two desirable traits impedes or makes it impossible to achieve a significant improvement in both traits. The path coefficient method was developed by Wright (1921) [9] and described by Dewey and Lu (1959) [6] is useful in assessing whether association of characters with yield is having direct or indirect influence on yield or is a consequence in indirect effect through some other characteristics. Path analysis between yield and yield contributing character was carried out by using simple correlation coefficient. Material and Method Seven different mutagenic treatments of PVK 801 viz., T1 (0.1%), T2 (0.2%), T3 (0.3%) EMS treatments and T4 (10kR+0.1% EMS), T5 (20kR+0.1% EMS), T6 (30kR+0.1% EMS) and T7 (40kR+0.1% EMS) combination treatments obtained from B.A.R.C. Trombay, Mumbai, along with two control treatments viz., T8 (dry control) and T9 (wet control) were sown in Randomized Block Design with 3 replications, at spacing of 15 cm within plants and 45 cm between plants in M 2 generation. The present study was undertaken at the field of Department of Agricultural Botany, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani.