Correlation, Path Analysis and Stepwise Regression in Durum Wheat (Triticum Durum Desf.) under Rainfed Conditions

Abstract: The present study was carried at the Field Crop Institute-Agricultural Experimental Station of Setif (Algeria) during 2011/12 crop season. Correlation, Path analysis and stepwise regression were executed to investigate the relationships between grain yield and other important yield components in durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.). The experimental material consisted of fifteen hybrids produced using a half diallel fashion in 2010/11 season and theirs six parents. Differences among all the traits were statistically significant. Grain yield per plant was significantly and positively correlated with above ground biomass, straw yield, number of spikes per plant and number of grains per spike. Results of stepwise regression and path analysis revealed that both above ground biomass and harvest index can be a criterion to select high-yielding genotypes in breeding durum wheat programs.