Genetic Studies for Parental Selection among Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) Varieties

Aims: To evaluate twenty brinjal varieties for suitable parent selection in yield aspects.

Study Design: The experiment was carried out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out at Horticulture Experiment Station, Department of Horticulture, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology & Sciences, Allahabad, (U.P.) between September 2015 and February 2016.

Methodology: A field experiment was conducted with twenty different brinjal varieties. The observations were recorded on thirteen quantitative and qualitative traits. The mean data were subjected to the various statistical and biometrical analyses.

Results: Analysis of variance indicates that twenty diverse varieties of brinjal differed significantly for the thirteen traits. The highest estimate of phenotypic (PCV) and genotypic (GCV) coefficient of variation were recorded in case of Avg. Fruit Weight (gm) (PCV=35.71) and (GCV=34.80) followed by Avg. Yield/ Plant (kg) (PCV= 28.60) and (GCV=27.53), and Fruit Circumference (cm) (PCV =26.19) and (GCV=24.96) while Days to 50% Flowering exhibited lowest value (11.02 and 7.82). The presences of high heritability with the high genetic advance in per cent of the mean were observed for Avg. Fruit Weight (gm) (94.95 and 69.85), Avg. Yield/ Plant (kg) (92.62 and 54.58), Fruit Circumference (cm) (90.81 and 49.00), No. of Primary Branches/ Plant (90.08 and 45.77) and No. of Fruits/Plant (89.50 and 45.12).

Conclusion: These findings exhibiting additive gene effect and selection for these traits is reliable for a further breeding programme. Selection of suitable parents is an important criteria for the success of crop improvement programme.