Correlations and path analysis in elephant grass for energy

Abstract

The elephant grass for its high dry matter production has been used as a source of renewable energy. The selection for the improvement of traits could influence the production of dry matter and therefore it is necessary to study the correlation between these traits. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the correlation coefficients and display genotype correlations into direct and indirect effects of variables such as plant height, stem diameter, number of tillers and leaf blade width in dry matter production in clones of elephant grass. The experiment was conducted in Campos dos Goytacazes-RJ, using forty genotypes of elephant grass. The design was a randomized block with two replications. Evaluated in two cuts, plant height, stem diameter and width of the leaf blade showed positive and significant genotypic correlation with dry matter production. Plant height was the most directly and positively influenced the dry matter production during the second cut. In the third section, it occurred to the characteristics stem diameter and number of tillers.