Abstract

The present study pertaining to the estimation of genetic parameters and characters association in forty maize genotypes was conducted in the glasshouse of the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, during the crop season in February 2009 at 40% moisture level. The data for various quantitative characters were recorded, statistically analyzed. The path-coefficients were computed to estimate the contribution of individual characters to the fresh shoot length. Investigations regarding path coefficient showed that fresh root length had maximum direct effect on fresh shoot length at 40% moisture level followed by dry root weight, root density, leaf temperature and dry shoot weight. It was concluded that fresh root length, dry root weight, root density, leaf temperature and dry shoot weight are the characters which contribute largely to fresh shoot length of maize seedlings and selection can be made on the basis of these characters.

Key words: Zea mays, correlation, path coefficient, genotypic, phenotypic, Pakistan.a