Vol. 11, Issue 12 (2022)

Author(s):
SJ Ban, DB Kshirsagar and BV Kagane

Abstract:
The study on genetic variability in F₆ generation of pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata Duch Ex. Poir) for yield and quality was conducted at AICRP on Vegetable Crops, Department of Horticulture, MPKV, Rahuri during the year 2020-2021. The aim of the present study is to develop high yielding and good quality fruits of pumpkin. The five selected pumpkin progenies derived from cross-1 (RHR PK-18-3-1-2-12 × RHR PK-09-4-6 3-3) along with parents used for this study. The present study was laid out in Randomized Block design (RBD) with three replications. The results revealed that moderate GCV, PCV and high heritability along with high genetic advance as percentage of mean recorded for the characters viz. final vine length, number of primary branches per vine, length of fruit, diameter of fruit, yield per vine, yield per hectare, fruit flesh thickness, number of ridges per fruit, seed cavity length, seed cavity width, number of seeds per fruit, 100 seed weight, TSS and β-carotene. Regarding correlation studies, fruit yield was significantly and positively correlated with vine length, number of primary branches per vine, number of fruits per vine, weight of fruit and flesh thickness. Significant and negative correlation both at phenotypic and the genotypic levels were observed between fruit yield per vine and days to first male flower appearance, days to first female flower appearance and days to first harvest.