Character association studies in bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.)

Abstract

Bitter gourd is a most important cucurbitaceous crop grown throughout the country for its high nutritive and pharmacological value. Correlation studies between yield and its components and their relative contribution to yield will be of great value in evaluating and planning breeding programmes. Correlation coefficient analysis measures the mutual relationship between plant characters and determines the component characters on which selection can be based for improvement in yield. Path analysis facilitates the portioning of correlation coefficients into direct and indirect effect of various characters on yield or any other attributes. The present experiment was conducted during the summer season of 2010 at Vegetable Research Centre of G.B.P.U.A&T, Pantnagar, U.S. Nagar (Uttarakhand)