Abstract:
The experiment was conducted with twenty genotypes of pumpkin (Cucurbita
moschata Duchesne ex Poir.) at the experimental field of Sher-e-Bangla
Agricultural University during April 2014 to September 2014. Vegetables play
a vital role in the overall economic performance of Bangladesh. Pumpkin is a
very popular and one of the most important vegetable crops grown extensively
throughout the tropical and subtropical countries. Due to its high nutritional
content and lucrative market price, pumpkin may be considered as a high
value crop. Pumpkins are rich in carbohydrate and minerals and cheaper
source of vitamins, especially carotenoid pigments, which have a major role in
nutrition in the form of pro-vitamin-A, antioxidants, when used at ripening
stage. Thus, this vegetable can contribute to improve nutritional status of the
people of Bangladesh, particularly the vulnerable group in respect of vitamin-
A requirement. Lack of high yielding, disease and pest tolerant varieties are
the main constrains towards its production. The objective of the study was to
measure the variability among the genotypes for yield and yield contributing
characters of pumpkin. This helps to choose desirable parents for establishing
new breeding population. High genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) was
observed in fruit yield per plant, pedicel length of male flower, number of
male flower per plant. Low GCV was observed in days to first male flowering
and days to first female flowering. High heritability with high genetic advance
in percent of mean was observed in yield per plant, pedicel length of male and
female flower and fruit weight indicated these traits would be effective.
Highly significant positive correlation was found between fruit length and fruit
weight. Path co efficient analysis revealed that maximum direct contribution
toward yield per plant was found fruit length followed by fruit weight. The
highest intra cluster distance was found in cluster IV and the lowest was found
in cluster I. Among five clusters the highest inter cluster distance was
observed between cluster II and cluster V and the lowest between cluster I and
cluster II. Considering all the characters G14 (BD 246) and G6 (BD 309) G12
(9492) and G11 (BD 9494) may be selected for future breeding program.
Description:
A Thesis
submitted to the Faculty of Agriculture,
Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka,
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
MASTER OF SCIENCE
IN
GENETICS AND PLANT BREEDING
SEMESTER: July-December, 2014
