Genetic Analysis for Yield and Its Components in Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.)

Abstract

The present investigation entitled "Genetic analysis for yield and its components in brinjal (Solanum melongena L.)" was undertaken to collect informati~n on genetic parameters for yield and its components from eight parents diallel mating design in brinjal. All the genotypes were grown in a randomized block design with three replications at Horticultural Research Center of S.V.P.U.A.&T., Meerut, during kharif season of years 2009-10 and 2010-11. The observations were recorded on twelve quantitative traits viz plant height, primary branches per plant, plant spread, days to first flowering, days to first fruit set, days to first harvest, average fruit weight, fruit length, fruit diameter, fruit index, fruits per plant and yield per plant. The variance component analysis indicated that both additive and dominance types of gene actions were involved in almost all the traits with higher magnitude of dominance component than additive component for all the characters. The ratio between estimated o2g/o2s was less than unity for all the traits reflecting that these traits were primarily governed by non-additive gene action. The mean degree of dominance exceeded unity for these traits showing over dominance. None of the parents was found to be a good general combiner for all the characters however, among the lot; DBR-31, Pusa Bindu, Punjab Sadabhar and Pusa Kranti were good general combiner for fruit yield and its components. Thirteen crosses showed positive and significant heterosis which in order of merit were Punjab Sadabahar x DBR-31, Pusa Bindu x KS-331, DBR-31 x KS-331, Pusa Bindu x DBR-31 , Pusa Bindu x KS-224, DBR-31 x Swarna Mani, Punjab Sadabahar x Pusa Kranti, KS-224 x DBR-31, Pusa Bindu x Aruna, DBR-31 x Aruna, Pusa Bindu x Punjab Sadabahar, Pusa Kranti x Swarna Mani and Pusa Bindu x Swarna Mani. Out of these crosses, Punjab Sadabahar x DBR-31 , Pusa Bindu x KS- 331, Pusa Bindu x DBR-31 , DBR-31 x Swarna Mani and Pusa Bindu x Aruna showed significant SCA also for four to seven characters including yield per plant in desirable direction. The heritability estimates were high for all most all the characters and expected genetic advance was observed to be high and moderate for all the studied traits. Highly significant and positive association of fruit yield per plant was recorded with fruit length, fruit index, plant height and average fruit weight while, non-significant and positive correlation were found between fruits per plant and fruit diameter. Path coefficient analysis for fruit yield involving 11 independent variables revealed that fruit diameter gave maximum positive and direct effect on yield per plant followed by fruit length, fruits per plant, average fruit weight and days to first fruit set. Cross combinations i.e. Pusa Bindu x KS-331, Pusa Kranti x KS-331, having significant and desirable SCA effects in at least one of the parent with additive x additive type gene interaction for fruit yield, may be exploited through biparental mating programme.