Studies of Correlation and Path Coefficients for Tomato Yield and Quality Attributes (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

Fifteen genotypes of tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) with 18 yield contributing traits, were studied for correlations and path coefficients. The experiment has been done at Vegetable Research Farm of Department of Horticulture, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, during Rabi season of 2020-21. The experiment was laid under Randomized Block Design with three replications. Using genotypic correlation, it has been found that the fruit yield per plant significantly positively correlates with lycopene, titrable acidity, pericarp thickness, fruits per plant, ascorbic acid and days to 50% flowering. This indicates that the selection of these qualities will impact the number of fruits produced by each plant. Yield per plant was showed the significant positive direct effects with ascorbic acid, pericarp thickness, firmness, fruit yield per plant, TSS, locules per fruit, number of fruits per plant, fruit diameter, lycopene content, seed test weight and days to 50% flowering at the genotypic path coefficient level that indicated the selection for these traits might be effective and there is a possibility of improving yield per plant through selection based on these characters. The investigation contains the necessary information to support the objectives, as shown by the residual influence at the genotypic (0.198) and phenotypic (0.206) routes.

Studies on Genetic Parameters to Improve the Genetic Architecture of Tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum L.).

Selection which is the basis of every breeding programme operates only on variation which is of genetic nature. A wide range of variability present in any crop always provides the better chances of selecting desired types. A field experiment was carried out at Vegetable Research Farm, Department of Horticulture, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University during 2012 to evaluate the diverse genotypes of tomato. Analysis of variance indicated highly significant differences among the genotypes for all the characters. The highest GCV and PCV were observed with the character fruit yield per plant followed by number of seeds per fruit. Whereas, the lowest GCV and PCV were recorded by the character days to 50% fruiting followed by days to 50% flowering. The heritability estimates were high for all the characters except number of branches per plant which showed moderate heritability. The maximum heritability was observed for number of seeds per fruit and average fruit weight. High GCV and heritability coupled with high genetic advance was observed for fruit yield per plant followerd by number of seeds per fruit indicating that they are governed by additive genes and could be effectively improved through selection.