S. Z. Solomon , A. Emmanuel, J. J. Saba, J. Mohammed Genetic variation, sugar cane, correlation, heritability, improvement 22-29 10 (1) January 2026 A field experiment was conducted at Sunti to assess the extent of genetic variability, heritability, and genetic advance for yield and its component traits in a set of sugarcane genotypes The ANOVA revealed the presence of significant differences among the genotypes for all the traits studied, indicating the existence of substantial genetic variability in the experimental material. Such variability provides ample scope for effective selection and genetic improvement in sugarcane breeding programmes. Higher estimates of GCV and PCV were observed for number of tillers per plot, leaf length, stalk height, and cane yield, suggesting a wide range of variability for these traits. The relatively close magnitude between GCV and PCV for these characters indicates a lesser influence of environmental factors and a greater role of genetic control, thereby enhancing the reliability of phenotypic selection. Correlation analysis indicated that cane yield exhibited a strong and positive association with number of millable canes, highlighting stalk population density as a major determinant of yield. The results further revealed that genotypes with higher tillering ability coupled with superior stalk development contributed significantly to increased cane yield, emphasizing the importance of these traits as key selection criteria. High heritability coupled with substantial genetic advance was recorded for most of the traits studied, indicating the predominance of additive gene action and the effectiveness of selection in improving these characters. However, traits such as sucrose percentage and number of millable canes exhibited comparatively lower genetic advance despite moderate to high heritability, suggesting the possible involvement of non-additive gene effects and environmental influence. Overall, the study indicates that selection based on traits exhibiting high variability, heritability, and genetic advance particularly number of tillers per plot, stalk height, and cane yield would be effective for enhancing sugarcane productivity. These findings provide valuable insights for formulating efficient selection strategies in sugarcane breeding programmes aimed at yield improvement.