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Abstract
Twenty spring wheat varieties were studied to find out genetic variability and genetic association for
grain yield and its component characters. Both genotypic and phenotypic variances were highly
significant in all the traits with little higher phenotypic variations as usual. Similarly, the low differences
between the phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variations indicated low environmental influences
on the expression of these characters. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance were
obtained with plant height, grains per spike, 100-grain weight, harvest index and grain yield. Genotypic
correlation coefficients were higher than the corresponding phenotypic correlation coefficients in most of
the traits. Spikes per plant, grains per spike, spike length, 100-grain weight and harvest index were the
most important characters which possessed positive association with grain yield. Path coefficient
analysis revealed that among the different yield contributing characters spike per plant, grains per spike,
100-grain weight and harvest index influenced grain yield per plant directly. The direct effects of these
characters on grain yield were positive and considerably high. Moreover, harvest index, days to maturity
and spikes per plant had positive and higher indirect effect on grain yield through grains per spike. Thus
selection for yield in spring wheat through these characters would be effective.