GENETIC IMPROVEMENT OF LOCAL BRINJAL TYPES FOR YIELD AND QUALITY (Solanum melongena L.)

Ramesh Kumar Selvan (rameshamar06@gmail.com)
Horticulture, Tamilnadu agricultural university
May, 2012
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Abstract

Research work was undertaken in brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) to develop F1 hybrids/hybrid derivatives with high yield and quality traits through L x T crossing. Variability and genetic diversity in parents, heterosis, combining ability, gene action, correlation and path analysis in F1 generation, variability, heritability and genetic advance, correlation, path analysis and frequency distribution in F2 generations were analysed for growth, yield and quality traits. A relatively high estimate of phenotypic and genotypic co-efficient of variation was observed among the parents for fruit length, calyx length, number of fruits per plant, little leaf incidence, total phenol content and fruit yield per plant. The characters viz., fruit length, calyx length, number of fruits per plant, little leaf incidence, total phenol content and fruit yield per plant recorded high amount of genetic variability along with heritability and genetic advance. Based on diversity analysis, the genotypes belonging to clusters V and III could have greater genetic divergence and hence intermating between the genotypes belonging to them would give more transgressive segregates in advanced generations. The analysis of combining ability estimates revealed that the predominance of non-additive gene action was observed for all the characters studied. The combining ability and per se performance indicated that the line Palamedu Local (L5) possessed high mean value and gca effects for seven characters viz., days to first flowering, fruit circumference, average fruit weight, shoot borer infestation, little leaf incidence and fruit yield per plant. It was followed by Alavayal local (L1) and Keerikai Local (L7) and the tester Annamalai (T1) were good general combiners since they had high gca and mean values for yield and other related characters. Based on per se, sca effects and magnitude of heterosis, four hybrids viz., Alagarkovil Local x Annamalai (L4xT1), Palamedu Local x Punjab Sadabahar (L5xT3), Palamedu Local x EP 65 (L5xT4) and Keerikai Local x KKM 1 (L7xT2) were identified for heterosis breeding. The hybrid L5xT2 can be effectively used for improving number of branches per plant, number of fruits per plant and fruit yield per plant through recombination breeding. Correlation in F1 generation indicated that number of fruits per plant, number of branches per plant and average fruit weight recorded significant association with fruit yield both at phenotypic and genotypic levels. Path analysis revealed that plant height, number of branches per plant, fruit length, fruit pedicel length, number of fruits per plant, average fruit weight and little leaf incidence registered positive direct effect on yield. Among the 40 hybrids, ten crosses were selected based on mean yield and other desirable traits. In F2 generation, the crosses L5xT4 and L4xT1 showed high mean, variability, heritability and genetic advance as per cent of mean for individual fruit weight and fruit yield per plant thereby offering good scope for selection for the improvement of above characters. Association analysis in F2 revealed that yield per plant had significant positive association with number of fruits per plant, average fruit weight and fruit circumference. Path analysis showed that number of branches per plant, average fruit weight and number of fruits per plant had positive direct effect on fruit yield. From the frequency distribution analysis, wide range of variation was observed with regarding to fruit yield per plant among the ten crosses. In three crosses L4xT2 (3 plants), L5xT4 (3 plants) and L7xT2 (1 plant) were produced the fruit yield more than 3.00 kg per plant. The fruit yield per plant was more than 2.00 kg were observed in all the crosses except L1xT1, L6xT2 and L8xT1.