D. OZVEREN YUCEL1 and A. E. ANLARSAL2
1 Plant Protection Research Institute 01321 Adana, Turkey
1 University of Cukurova, Agricultural Faculty, Field Crops Department 01330 Adana, Turkey
YUCEL, D. OZVEREN and A. E. ANLARSAL, 2010. Determination of selection criteria with path coefficient analysis in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) breeding. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 16: 42-48
This research was carried out to determine selection criteria by using correlation and path coefficient analysis in 22 genotypes of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) under Mediterranean conditions. In investigated characters, positive and significant relationships were found statistically among seed yield and harvest index and seed number. The path coefficients analysis based on seed yield, as a dependent variable, revealed that harvest index had the greatest direct effect on seed yield (0.4206) with the ratio of 56.04 %. Both correlation and path analyses indicated that harvest index was the major direct contributor to seed yield. The present study suggests that selection for high seed yield should be based on selecting high harvest index plants in chickpea.