ASSESSMENT OF SELECTION CRITERIA IN SAFFLOWER (CARTHAMUS TINCTORIUS L. THROUGH CORRELATION, PATH ANALYSIS AND STEPWISE REGRESSION ANALYSIS

摘要

This study was carried out to assess yield components and their interrelationships in the present breeding material including twenty-four lines, testers and their hybrids for efficient selection in segregating generations to increase the seed yield in safflower breeding program. Field experiments were conducted in Eskisehir, Turkey during 2015 and 2016 under rainfed conditions. Correlation, path and stepwise regression analysis were used to investigate the relationships between seed yield and yield components in safflower. Considerable variation was determined among genotype provided good opportunity for selection. The results revealed that characters affecting seed yield vary according to statistical methods. Therefore, to obtain reliable result, it is essential to use multivariate statistical methods for scanning significant characters in breeding material. It was concluded that plant height, number of seed per plant and head diameter would be important selection criteria for improved seed yield in the breeding material studied. The lines and testers may be used in other hybridization program and their hybrids may yield more transgressive sergeants for these characters for seed yield improvement.