PATH COEFFICIENT AND CORRELATION ANALYSIS IN SECOND CROP SOYBEAN [Glycine max (L.) Merrill]

Fourteen soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] genotypes were studied as second crop in 2014, 2015 and 2016 to determine the yield and yield components. Randomized complete block design with four replicates was used for laying out the field experiments at research fields of Ege University Correlation and path coefficient analysis were used to determine the direct and indirect effects of variuos traits of grain yield in soybean genotypes. Variance analysis was perform for each characters and it was concluded that the genotype x year interaction was statistically significant at the 1% probability level in terms of all the traits examined. The best performing genotype for grain yield was KASM 03 (3660.9 kg ha-1), for pod per plant was KASM 03 with 94.8 pods, for plant height were BATEM 306 and ATAEM 7 (87.2 cm and 87.9 cm), for first pod height was BATEM 317 (12.8 cm), for 100-seed weight was BDUS 04 (21.1 g), for days to %50 flowering was ARISOY (33.2 days), for days to maturity was BRAVO (102.1 days), for crude oil ratio was ARISOY (%21) and for crude protein ratio was BATEM 223 (%46.6). According to results of the correlation analysis, it is seen that six traits are positively correlated with grain yield, while the other traits are negatively correlated with seed yield. The six characters are pod numbers per plant (r= 313.3*), days to 50% flowering (r= 0.270*), days to maturity (r=0.286*)., plant height (r=0.027ns), first pod height (r=0.181ns). and crude protein ratio (r=0.112ns). Path coefficient analysis showed grain yield positively and directly affected by pods number per plant (0,5532) followed by day to maturity (0,2483), plant height (0,1920), crude protein ratio (0,0403), first pod height (0,0266) and days to 50% flowering (0,0104); Grain yield was negatively and directly affected by 100- seed weight (-0,1697) and crude oil ratio (-0,0097). In conclusion pod number per plant could be used as a selection criterion due to its high direct and positively affect on grain yield.