Character Association Analysis of Yield and Yield-contributing Traits in Local Landraces and Released Varieties of Mungbean (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek) for Eastern Plain Zones of Uttar Pradesh

Mungbean landraces plays a vital role in maintaining genetic diversity, which is essential for enhancing resilience against both biotic and abiotic challenges. These landraces exhibit distinct characteristics that can lead to improvements in yield, adaptability, and nutritional value. By assessing yield and associated traits, it becomes possible to identify superior genotypes suitable for breeding initiatives. This approach promotes sustainable production through the development of high-yielding, stress-resistant varieties, while also addressing the issue of genetic erosion. Leveraging the potential of landraces contributes to food security and fosters climate-resilient agricultural practices in mungbean farming. Eighteen genotypes of mungbean were systematically evaluated to elucidate the character associations between yield and its component traits. The experiment was conducted between March to May of the year 2021 at Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj, employing a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications. The analysis of variance revealed significant differences among the genotypes for all traits studied, indicating the presence of substantial genetic variability within the population. In general, genotypic correlations were observed to be higher than their phenotypic counterparts, reflecting a stronger intrinsic association between traits at the genetic level. Correlation coefficient analysis demonstrated that seed yield per plant exhibited a significant and positive association with most traits, except for days to 50% flowering, days to 50% pod setting, days to maturity, and biological yield, where associations were non-significant at both genotypic and phenotypic levels. Path coefficient analysis identified that traits such as days to maturity, number of primary branches per plant, number of seeds per pod, biological yield, and harvest index exerted a direct positive effect on seed yield at both genotypic and phenotypic levels. These findings underscore the pivotal role of these traits in determining seed yield. The results highlight that seed yield is predominantly influenced by the direct and indirect effects of these attributing characters. Consequently, these traits should be accorded priority during selection programs aimed at genetic enhancement of mungbean for yield improvement.