STUDIES ON VARIABILITY, HERITABILITY AND GENETIC ADVANCE IN TOMATO (Solanum lycopersicum mill.)

Abstract

An experiment was conducted with seven genotypes of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) at the experimental field under the Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur to study the nature and magnitude of variability, heritability, genetic advance and genetic advance in percentage of mean of seven genotypes of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum mill.) during the period from November 2011 to April 2012. Data were recorded on days to 50% flowering, fruit diameter, fruit length, fruit weight, plant height, canopy width, fruits/plant, shelf life, thousand (1000) seed weight and yield/plant. Significant difference was high in case of fruit length, fruit weight and thousand (1000) seed weight. Moderate significant difference was observed in fruits/plant, canopy width, shelf life and yield/plant. Small significant difference was observed in days to 50% flowering, fruit diameter and plant height. High phenotypic variance was observed in fruit diameter, fruit length, fruit weight, plant height, canopy width, fruits/plant while high phenotypic co-efficient of variation was observed in fruit diameter, fruit length, fruit weight, canopy width, fruits/plant and shelf life. High genotypic variance coupled with high genotypic co-efficient of variation was observed in fruit diameter, fruit weight, canopy width and fruits/plant. High heritability was observed in days to 50% flowering, fruit diameter, plant height, fruit length, fruit weight, canopy width, fruits/plant, thousand (1000) seed weight and shelf life and medium heritability was observed in yield/plant. Estimate of genetic advance was high in case of fruit diameter, fruit length, fruit weight, canopy width and fruits/plant but medium genetic advance in case of days to 50% flowering, plant height, thousand (1000) seed weight, shelf life and yield/plant was observed. Fruit weight, canopy width, fruits/plant and shelf life showed high genetic advance in percentage of mean where days to 50% flowering, fruit diameter, fruit length, plant height, thousand (1000) seed weight and yield/plant showed medium genetic advanced in percentage of mean.