Abstract & Overview
Seven genotypes of maize (Naworoz, Sagunto, Jameson, Torro, Zp-Glorya, Nahrain and DKC6664) were planted on July 7, 2023 using three levels of nano chelated NPK (20-20 -20) fertilizer (0, 6 and 12 kg/ha), at Al-Sheikhan district, Jurgan village, under sprinkler irrigation, using a randomized complete block design by a split-plot system to evaluate grain yield per plant and some other traits (number of ears per plant, ear length, ear diameter, number of rows per ear, number of grains per row, number of grains per ear and 500 grains weight), and the analysis of genotypic and phenotypic path coefficient among grain yield and other traits was performed. The results showed that the nano-fertilizer level of 12 kg/ha had significant highest means for ear length, ear diameter, number of rows per ear, number of grains per row, number of grains per ear and grain yield per plant. The Torro genotype showed good mean performance for all traits, followed in importance by DKC6664, then Nahrain and Jameson, for a number of traits, reached 6, 5, and 3 for each, respectively, and these results indicate the possibility of utilizing these distinct genotypes in breeding programs. It was shown that grain yield per plant correlated positively and significantly (genetically and phenotypically) with number of ears per plant and 500 grains weight, and genetically with ear length and ear diameter. path coefficient analysis showed that number of grains per ear, followed by number of grains per row, then number of ears per plant genetically and number of grains per ear, followed by 500 grains weight then then number of ears per plant phenotypically, considered to have the strongest effects on grain yield per plant, and this is useful in the reliability of these traits as selection criteria for higher yield performance in breeding programs.