GENETIC DIVERGENCE IN BRINJAL (Solanum melon gena L.)

Abstract

The genetic diversity, genotypic and phenotypic variance, genotypic and phenotypic coefficient of variation heritability, genetic advance and genetic advance as percent of mean were studied for 34 genotypes of brinjal were determined in a field experiment conducted at the farm of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Ohaka during October. 2006 to April, 2007. Significant genotypic differences were observed for all the characters studied. The phenotypic coefficient of variation was higher than genotypic coefficient of variation in all the characters. The phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) estimates were high for no. of flower per inflorescence, no. of fruit per plant, % insect infestation of plants and individual fruit weight, whereas days to first fruit harvesting showed very low PCV. Heritability estimates were high for fruit weight with high genetic advance, yield per plant, fruit length and plant height. In spite of high heritability values for most traits, the expected genetic advance as percentage of mean ranged from 19.10 to 98.01. Multivariate analysis was performed through principal component analysis (PCA): principal coordinate analysis, cluster analysis and canonical variate analysis were used to classify 34 brinjal genotypes. As per as PCA, D2 and cluster analysis, the genotypes were grouped into six different clusters. Cluster Ill and cluster V had the maximum of nine and minimum of two genotypes respectively. The highest inter-genotypic distance was found between G17 and G26 and the lowest distance between G09 and GiG. The maximum inter-cluster distance was observed between the clusters I and cluster V, whereas the lowest-inter cluster distance was found between the cluster II and cluster Ill. The highest intra-cluster distance was identified in cluster Ill and the lowest iritra cluster distance was found in cluster V. Genotypes included in cluster I suitable for no. of secondary branches per plant, fruit circumference, individual fruit weight and yield per plant, cluster IV for having the highest mean value for fruit length, tallest plant and the percent insect infestation of fruits was lowest, cluster V for early in both first flowering, first fruit harvesting, produced maximum number of fruits per plant and the percent insect infestation of plants was also very low in this cluster and cluster VI for no. of primary branches and number of flowers per lnflorescence. Considering diversity pattern and other agronomic performances the genotypes G03, G16, G25, G26, G32 and G34 from cluster I and genotypes G17 and G33 from cluster V could be considered suitable parent for future hybridiza