VARIABILITY, SIMILARITY NETWORK AND GENOTYPIC PATH ANALYSIS OF COMMON BEAN YIELD TRAITS

Abstract

The objective of this research was to evaluate the genetic variability and associations between traits, in order to identify traits that can be used as selection criteria in the development process of high-yielding common bean cultivars in a breeding program. Plant height (PH), primary branches per plant (BP), pod length (POL), seeds per pod (SPO), pods per plant (POP), days to anthesis (DA), days to flowering (DF), days to maturity (DM), 100 seeds mass (SM) and grain yield (Y), were evaluated at Nampula Research Station, Mozambique, an augmented block design with 24 accessions, three checks and four blocks. Analysis of variance, genetic parameters, similarity network and path analysis were performed based on the genetic correlation matrix. The results indicated high heritability for all traits. High genetic variability were shown by PH, Y, POP, SM, SPO and BP. High genotypic correlations were shown by POP, SPO, DM, DA and BP. The POP and SPO additionally showed high positive direct effects and can be used as selection criteria in the development process of high-yielding bean cultivars in a breeding program.