DIALLEL AND PATH COEFFICIENT ANALYSIS OF TALL FESCUE (FESTUCA ARUNDINACEA) REGROWTH UNDER CONTROLLED CONDITIONS

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Abstract
Relationships among leaf elongation rate, leaf width, leaf area expansion rate, number of tillers per plant and net CO2 exchange (NCE) with total forage yield per plant of F. arundinacea Schreb. were studied in a controlled environmental chamber. Among progeny of a 6 .times. 6 diallel, number of tillers per plant was correlated highly significantly (1% level) with total forage yield per plant (r = 0.697). Path coefficient analyses showed that both tillers per plant and yield per tiller had large positive direct effects on total yield per plant. Diallel analysis showed that additive genetic effects were most important for all traits except NCE. Progenies did not differ significantly for NCE. Nonadditive genetic effects, although of less magnitude than additive effects, were also important for number of tillers per plant and yield per tiller. Highest broad sense heritabilities were found for number of tillers per plant, yield per tiller and yield per plant with values of 69, 66 and 66%, respectively.