VARIATION AND ASSOCIATION ANALYSIS IN CORIANDER

Two hundred genotypes of Coriandrum sativum L. exhibited genetic variation for plant height, primary and effective branches, days to flowering and maturity, umbels and umbellets per plant, grains per umbellet, thousand seed weight, straw yield and grain yield per plant and harvest index. Heritability estimates were high for days to flowering, thousand seed weight and days to maturity; moderate for plant height, straw yield, umbels per plant, umbellets per plant and number of primary branches; and low for harvest index, effective branches, grain yield per plant and grains per umbellet. Phenotypic correlations of grain yield per plant were highly significant and positive with umbellets per plant, umbels per plant, number of effective branches, straw yield per plant, number of primary branches, plant height, number of grains per umbellet and harvest index. Maximum direct contribution to grain yield per plant was made by umbellets per plant, followed by straw yield per plant, umbels per plant and grains per umbellet. Umbellets per plant made sizeable indirect effect via straw yield per plant. Straw yield per plant made sizeable indirect contribution via umbellets per plant.