Abstract:
Forty-nine bread wheat genotypes were tested at Chena, Masha and Shay Bench, southwestern Ethiopia in 2017 and
2018 with the objective of estimating the association among yield and yield-contributing traits and determining the
direct and indirect effect of the traits on the grain yield of wheat genotypes using 7x7 simple lattice design. Data were
collected for 12 agronomic characters. Grain yield showed significant (p≤0.01) positive phenotypic correlations with
thousand-kernel weight, aboveground biomass, harvest index at the locations except for plant height at Masha.
Similarly, grain yield showed significant (p≤0.01) positive genotypic correlations with 1000-kernel weight,
aboveground biomass and harvest index at Masha and Shay Bench and only with aboveground biomass and harvest
index at Chena. Likewise, significant (p≤0.01) positive and negative phenotypic and genotypic correlations between
the yield components were observed at all the locations. As per the path analysis, aboveground biomass, 1000-kernel
weight and harvest index showed high positive phenotypic direct effect on grain yield at the locations. Similarly, at
genotypic level, aboveground biomass, harvest index and 1000-kernel weight showed highly significant direct effect
on the grain yield at the locations. Generally, it has been observed the presence of relationships in the tested traits of
the genotypes studied. Hence, selection and hybridization on these genotypes based on the trait with high positive
correlation coefficient and direct effect on grain yield can be recommended for further yield improvement of bread
wheat at respective location
