Assessment of Genetic Variability, Heritability and Genetic Advance of Growth, Yield and Quality Traits in Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.)

Abstract

Brinjal is an economically important vegetable crop with considerable genetic diversity for growth, yield, and quality traits. Understanding the extent of genetic variability, heritability, and genetic advance is essential for effective selection and breeding of superior genotypes. The hybrids of brinjal were assessed for genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance of growth, yield and quality traits. The experiment was conducted at Main Vegetable Research Farm, Department of Vegetable Science, Kalyanpur, C.S. Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur (U.P.) in a Randomised Block Design with three replications over the Kharif seasons 2023-2025. The analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences among the brinjal treatments for all the 19 distinct traits. In F1 generation GCV (%) ranging from days to first fruit picking (1.57%) to fruit circumference (22.87%). In F1 generation PCV (%) ranging from days to first fruit picking (2.20%) to fruit circumference (23.91%). In F1 estimate the narrow-sense heritability ranged from no. of primary branches per plant (31.58%) to fruit circumference (91.51%). Genetic advance mean F1 expressed as percentage of mean ranged from days to first fruit picking (2.32%) to fruit circumference (45.07%). In light of the aforementioned findings, it may be inferred that the existing brinjal germplasm possesses considerable potential for effective crop improvement, particularly with respect to enhancing yield and yield-related traits.