Genetic Variability, Correlation and Path Analysis of Yield and Yield Related Traits of Bread Wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) Genotypes for Moisture Stress Areas of Borana

Thirty-six bread wheat genotypes were evaluated in 6*6 simple lattice design at Yabello on station. The experiment was objected to estimate the genotypic and phenotypic variance, heritability, genetic advance and coefficient of variation analysis of yield and yield contributing traits and to identify the trait and breeding procedure for bread wheat yield and yield contributing traits improvement. The result revealed difference among genotypes for all measured traits except harvest index. The estimates of genetic phenotypic variance were greater than genetic variance for all traits. The highest genetic variability was recorded for days to maturity 46.09 while the lowest was recorded for harvest index (0.0002). Among all traits, higher GCV and PCV values (>20%) were observed for grain yield and spike length while the lowest GCV and PCV values (<10%) were recorded for days to maturity, thousand seed weight, plant height and harvest index. The result revealed, all traits showed, in the range of high heritability above 60%. The knowledge on heritability of traits is helpful to decide the selection procedure to be followed to improve the trait in a situation. Generally, direct selection may be effective based on days to maturity, grain yield, and total biomass yield to develop a high yielding bread wheat variety with better quality. For the traits like plant height, thousand seed weight and harvest index Heterosis breeding is suitable to develop a variety. Therefore, it was suggested that breeders should consider the yield related traits to get the desired genetic constitute for future breeding strategy.