Genetic variability study for yield components and anthocyanin in eggplant (Solanum melongena)

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out during kharif 2017 at ICAR-IARI, New Delhi to assess the extent of genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance in eggplant using F2 population from a cross of Pusa Safed Baingan 1 × Pusa Uttam. A total of 168 F2 plants were characterized for morphological, and fruit traits and subjected to statistical analysis. Wide ranges of variations were observed for plant height (44.23 cm to 84.36 cm), fruit length (4.17 cm to 13.17 cm), fruit diameter (3.17 cm to 11.53 cm), fruit weight (15.20 g to 248.30 g) and total anthocyanin content (0.01 to 118.12 mg/100 g FW). High PCV and GCV (>20%) were observed for plant height, fruit weight and anthocyanin content. The highest heritability (74.09%) was recorded for fruit diameter indicating wide scope for improvement through selection of this trait. A total of 32 transgressive segregants were observed for fruit weight ranging from 165.30 g to 248.30 g and these can be selected further from F2. Fruit weight was found to be positively and significantly correlated with plant height (0.09), fruit length (0.53), fruit diameter (0.76) both at genotypic and phenotypic level. The skewness of all the five traits except total anthocyanin was less than 1 which suggests that these traits followed normal distribution, whereas anthocyanin followed discrete distribution. The exploration of genetic variability in the available segregating population may be utilized for effective selection of superior plant type for developing a variety.

Keywords

• Anthocyanin
• Eggplant
• Variability
• Yield