EFFECT OF DIFFERENT GROWING SEASONS ON CORRELATION AND PATH COEFFICIENTS OFYIELD AND YIELD COMPONENTS IN MAIZE (ZEAMAYS L.)

Path analysis depicted the strength of association of all independent variables under study on the grain yield. Thus, the study aimed at examining changes in associations and path analysis of yield related traits to yield in post-monsoon and monsoon season. A total of 14 maizegenotypes were evaluated in two growing seasons at the Maize and other Cereal Crops Research Section, Department of Agricultural Research (DAR), Yezin, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar. Genotypic correlation and path coefficient analyses were carried out to examine the relationship among the traits under both environments. Yield was positively correlated with ear length, row length, ear diameter, rows per ear, kernels per row, shelling percent and 1000 seed weight but had a negative correlation with days to tasseling and days to silking in both growing seasons with different magnitudes. These traits can be used as the main criteria for grain yield improvement of maize yield in the respective growing seasons. Some traits showed similar direct effects in both growing seasons, however,the link between direct and indirect effects on grain yield depends on respective growing season.