Abstract
Improving fruit yield in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) requires a clear understanding of the relationships among yield and its contributing traits. Correlation and path coefficient analyses are widely recognized as effective tools for identifying key characters that influence yield and for guiding selection in crop improvement programmes. This study investigated the associations among yield-related traits in four genetically diverse cucumber genotypes cultivated at the Eastern Research Farm of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria. The experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design with three replications. Data were collected on vegetative growth, flowering behaviour, and fruit characteristics and subsequently analysed using correlation and path coefficient techniques.The correlation analysis showed that fruit yield per hectare was significantly and positively associated with number of leaves (r = 0.766**), fruit length (r = 0.858**), fruit diameter (r = 0.842**), and fruit weight per plant (r = 1.000**), suggesting that improvements in these traits could contribute substantially to higher yield. Path coefficient analysis further revealed that fruit length exerted the highest positive direct effect on fruit yield (0.92), followed by number of leaves (0.14), number of branches (0.13), and number of fruits per plant (0.07). The findings demonstrate that fruit length, number of branches, number of leaves, and number of fruits per plant are important yielddetermining traits in cucumber. These characteristics should therefore be prioritized in breeding and selection programmes aimed at developing high-yielding cucumber cultivars and enhancing cucumber productivity under tropical growing conditions. Keywords:Correlation Coefficient, Path Coefficient Analysis, Cucumber, Fruit Yield and Yield Components
jaerem Nkechi Patience
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