Vol. 7, Issue 11, Part A (2025)

Grain yield in maize is a complex trait influenced by numerous interrelated quantitative characters. Understanding the direct and indirect effects of these traits is essential for effective selection in breeding programmes. The present study was conducted on 42 genotypes (39 inbreds and 3 checks) during Rabi 2024 at AICRP on Maize, Kolhapur to investigate the different genetic parameters of variability, association of yield with its component traits using correlation and path coefficient analyses. Among all, traits cob weight showed the high (> 20%) phenotypic and genotypic coefficient of variation, whereas moderate (10% - 20%) phenotypic and genotypic coefficient of variation were seen in grain yield per plant, cob length, number of kernels per row, thousand kernel weight, cob width, protein percent, number of kernel rows per cob, plant height and cob height. while days to 50% tasseling and days to 50% silking exhibited relatively low (<10%) phenotypic and genotypic coefficient of variation. Broad-sense heritability ranged from 86% and 99%. Highest heritability was observed in cob weight and protein percent. Genetic advance and genetic advance as per cent of mean were highest in cob weight. Correlation analysis revealed that grain yield per plant had highly significant positive associations with cob length, cob girth, thousand kernel weight, cob weight, number of kernels per row, plant height, days to 50% tasseling, days to 50% silking and cob height. Path coefficient analysis showed that cob weight (0.5808) exerted the maximum positive direct effect on grain yield followed by cob height (0.4062), thousand kernel weight (0.1710), plant height (0.1597), kernel rows per cob (0.1580), days to 50% silking (0.1377) and cob width (0.1014). Negative direct effects were observed for cob length (-0.1867), protein per cent (-0.0976) and days to 50% tasseling (-0.0362). These findings indicate that cob weight and kernel traits play major roles in yield determination and can be targeted for selection in breeding programmes.