Genetic parameters and correlation study for yield and quality traits in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

Abstract

The present investigation was conducted at Vegetable Research Farm, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi (U.P.), India during Rabi 2008-09. The genetic parameters and correlation were studied for yield and quality traits in tomato. The experimental material comprised of thirteen genotypes (10 lines + 3 testers) and their thirty crosses alongwith two checks of tomato and the experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with three replications. The maximum genotypic and phenotypic variation was (168.30 and 169.95 cm.) for plant height and minimum for fruit shape index (0.02 and 0.02), respectively. Analysis of coefficient of variation revealed that magnitude of phenotypic coefficient was higher than genotypic coefficient of variation for all the characters except primary branches per plant under study. The magnitude of genotypic and phenotypic coefficient of variation was higher for number of fruits per cluster (18.04 and 18.32), lycopene content (22.07 and 22.46), respectively. High values of heritability (broad sense) for plant height (99%) and fruit per cluster, total soluble solids and lycopene (97%) and high genetic advance were observed for plant height and average fruit weight (26.59 and 14.88%), respectively. A positive and significance association of yield per plant with all the traits both at genotypic and phenotypic levels.