Abstract

Fresh ear yield (FEY) in sweet corn (Zea mays L. var saccharata) is a complex trait subject to influence and interaction of many other traits usually affected by genetic and environmental factors. Development of selection criteria for FEY improvement requires knowledge of its inter-relationships with associated traits. Correlation and path coefficient analyses were used to investigate the nature of association and relative importance of 12 agronomic [(days to anthesis, days to silking (DS), anthesis-silking interval, plant height, ear height, husk cover score, ear length (EL), ear diameter (ED), number of kernel rows (NKR)] and FEY [number of ears (NE), ear yield (EY), number of marketable ears (NME), marketable ear yield (MEY)] traits to FEY in shrunken-2 super- sweet corn genotypes. Genotypic and phenotypic correlations among the traits were estimated. Path coefficient analyses were carried out with MEY as dependent variable. Estimates of genotypic correlation were in most cases higher in magnitude than their corresponding phenotypic correlations. Marketable ear yield was positively and significantly, correlated with NME, EY, EL and ED at the genotypic and phenotypic levels. Path coefficient analysis, based on genotypic correlations, indicated EY, NKR, DS, and NME had positive direct effects on MEY. Phenotypically, EY, ED and NME exhibited positive, direct effects on MEY. No one trait was exclusively important for fresh ear yield in super-sweet corn. Selection criteria based on multiple traits, which should include EY, NME, EL, ED, NKR, and DS would be effective in breeding for high fresh ear yield in shrunken-2 super- sweet corn.