Association and Path Analysis among Sugar Yield and Components under Two Water Regimes in Sugarcane (Saccharum spp. Complex)

Thirty sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrid complex) elite clones/varieties were evaluated for different sugar yield and other quality traits under two water regimes. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences among clones tested for different characters in both normal (E1) and water stress (E2) environments. Association studies showed that pol (%) in juice at 12 months had maximum direct effect on commercial cane sugar (CCS) (t/ha) followed by brix (%) at 10 months, purity (%) at 10 months, pol (%) in juice at 10 months, fibre (%) at harvest, pol (%) cane percentage and juice extraction (%) at 10 months under water stress (E2) environment. CCS (%) at 12 months had maximum positive direct effect on CCS (t/ha) under normal (E1) conditions followed by pol (%) cane at harvest, pol (%) in juice at 12 months, juice extraction (%) at 10 months and 12 months and fibre (%) at harvest had negative direct effect. Under water stress (E2) conditions, pol (%) in juice at 12 months had maximum direct effect on CCS (t/ha) followed by brix (%) at 10 months, purity (%) at 10 months, pol (%) in juice at 10 months, fibre (%) at harvest, pol (%) cane percentage at harvest and juice extraction (%) at 10 months. In present study revealed that traits like brix (%) 10 months, pol (%) in juice, pol (%) cane and juice extraction (%) be emphasized for sugar yield (t/ha) improvement under water stress (E2) conditions.