A STUDY ON VARIABILITY, CHARACTER ASSOCIATION AND PATH ANALYSIS FOR GREEN POD YIELD IN YARD LONG BEAN [VIGNA UNGUICULATA SUB SP SESQUIPEDALIS (L.) VERDCOURT]

Genetic variability studies in thirty three genotypes of vegetable cowpea revealed significant differences for all the characters studied. High genotypic coefficient of variation was observed for pod yield per plant. High estimates of heritability were observed for all the characters except nodes per branch, pod girth and seeds per pod. High estimates of heritability and genetic advance were observed for vine length, branches per plant, inflorescences per plant, green pods per plant, pod weight, 100-seed weight and pod yield per plant. Association studies among green pod yield and its contributing characters revealed that the characters branches per plant, inflorescences per plant, green pods per plant, green pod length, green pod weight, pod girth and protein content of green pod had positive and significant correlation with green pod yield. Path coefficient analysis showed that pods per plant had the highest positive direct effect on green pod yield followed by pod weight, seeds per pod and protein content of pod. lkjka'