Abstract

Ethiopia is the center of origin for Ethiopian mustard (Brassica carinata). The crop is one of the oldest oil crops and farmers in the highlands of the country grow as a leafy vegetable in their gardens. However, no attempt has been made to assess the association of characters and path analysis in Ethiopian mustard leaf. This study was conducted to assess association of traits among leafy vegetable yield and yield related traits and to determine the direct and indirect effects of the traits. A total of 36 Ethiopian mustard genotypes were evaluated at Holleta in 2017/2018. The results from correlation study showed that the genotypic correlation coefficient among edible vegetable leaf yield as well as all of agro-morphological qualities was positive and significant apart from leaves per plant and leaf width ratio to length. Length of leaf petiole, leaf length, leaf width, petiole width and plant height had positive and highly significant correlation with edible vegetable leaf yield both at levels of genotypic and phenotypic. These traits also had indirect positive effect on yield either though each other or via other traits at genotypic level. The strong association of these traits with leaf yield, the high to low effects of direct and indirect through other traits at level of genotypic for these traits is an indication of the importance of the traits to use in Ethiopian mustard genotypes for high edible vegetable leaf yield selection.

Key words:  Correlation, direct, indirect and edible vegetable leaf yield.