Abstract: Growth and yield components on which selection for high grain yield could be based among early maturing pigeonpea varieties were investigated in field trials conducted in the Guinea savannah zone of Ghana. Ten genotypes were tested during the 1996, 1997 and 1998 cropping seasons for their yield performance. The trial for each year was arranged in a randomised complete block design with 4 replications. Significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) were found among genotypes for grain yield for each of the years. Relative yield ranking of genotypes did not shift significantly between years. Investigation of yield differences between genotypes using phenotypic correlation and path coefficient analyses have shown that crop growth rate, harvest index and number of pods per plant are the most effective secondary traits to select for high grain yielding varieties in Northern Ghana. A significant positive linear correlation (P ≤ 0.05) was found between each of these traits and grain yield and between pairs of traits. Each of these traits showed a large positive direct effect on grain yield as well as large positive indirect effects through each other on grain yield.