Associations Analysis of Traits of Durum Wheat (Triticum turgidum L.) Landraces in Bale Highlands, Ethiopia

Durum wheat is one of the most important cereal crops in Ethiopia. The national average productivity and quality of durum wheat is low due to lack of improved varieties and different biotic and abiotic constraints prevailing in the country these calls for development of improved durum wheat varieties. Knowledge on extent of trait association of important characters and their interrelationship is a prerequisite for the development of high yielding and quality durum wheat variety. The present study was carried out to assess the extent of character association among yield and yield related traits in selected durum wheat landraces. Forty nine durum wheat accessions were studied for 20 traits at Sinana and Selka locations using 7x7 simple lattice design in 2018/19. Grain yield showed significant positive correlations with biological yield, harvest index, number of spikelets per spike, kernels per spike and productive tillers per plant both at genotypic and phenotypic levels, indicating that the possibility of simultaneously improving these traits through selection. Path coefficient analysis revealed that, biomass and harvest index had high effect on yield which indicating that, these trait could be considered as important traits in durum wheat yield improvement program.