Vol. 8, Issue 1, Part C (2022)

Abstract
The experiment was carried out to explore genotypic and phenotypic correlation coefficient analysis in 30 rice elite genotypes for ninteen characters. The highest positive significant genotypic and phenotypic correlation coefficient was observed between grain yield plot^‑1 and grain yield plant^-1 (0.98) followed by days to flowering and days to maturity (0.96), grain length and decorticated grain length (0.93), grain breadth and decorticated grain breadth (0.93), decorticated grain length breadth ratio and grain length after cooking (0.84). The grain length has positively correlated with decorticated grain length (0.93), decorticated grain length breadth ratio (0.93), grain length after cooking (0.76). So it could be those traits used as selection criteria for the improvement of grain yield as well as grain quality.The genetic correlation revealed that grain yield per plot had strong negative and significant association with grain length followed by decorticated grain length, decorticated length breadth ratio and grain length after cooking at both genotypic and phenotypic levels. The moderate negative correlation between grain length with fertile grain per panicle, spiklets per panicle, yield per plot, yield per plant and decorticated grain breadth; grain yield plant^-1 with grain length, decorticated grain length and decorticated grain length breadth ratio. The genotypic correlation coefficients showed higher magnitude than phenotypic correlation coefficients which indicated masking or modifying effect of environment.In general quality characters negatively correlated with quantitative characters in rice. These results suggested that selection for one trait would result into negative /adverse correlated response in other trait, which had negative correlation. The overall results indicated that selection favouring higher grain yield plant^-1, fertile grains panicle^-1, spiklets panicle^-1, grain breadth and decorticated grain breadth, days to flowering and days to maturity with a reasonable balance for moderate fertile grains panicle^-1 would help to achieve higher grain yield in rice genotypes.Therefore, those traits are to be given priority during selection to increase the grain yield.