Vol. 12, Issue 4 (2023)

Author(s):
Sabba Khan, Khursheed Hussain, Tamana Khan, Labeeba Riyaz Shah, Gowhar Ali, ZA Dar, Aariza Gulzar, Ajaz A Malik and Imran Khan

Abstract:
In the present study, variability, correlation and path coefficients analysis was carried out in fifty brinjal genotypes. The experiment was laid out in the Randomized Block Design with three replications. The observations were recorded on various yield and yield attributing characters. Correlation coefficients revealed that the fruit yield plant^-1 exhibited significant positive association with fruit length, fruit diameter, plant spread, average fruit weight and fruit yield hectare^-1 both at genotypic and phenotypic levels. Highest direct positive effect on fruit yield was recorded by average fruit weight followed by number of primary branches plant^-1 and plant spread. These characteristics could be employed as a selection trait breeding of high yielding brinjal genotypes. Estimates of divergence among 50 Brinjal genotypes revealed that significant divergence existed among them using Mahalanobis D² statistics. Fifty genotypes were grouped into eight different non-overlapping clusters. The crosses between the genotypes of cluster VIII with III, II and VII and Cluster I with those of III, II, VIII and VII and Cluster II with III, VIII and VI are likely to produce recombinants with desired traits. The genotypes selected on the basis of per se performance of fruit yield, yield contributing and quality traits can be used in brinjal improvement programme as elite germplasm lines or may be recommended as such for commercial cultivation after testing them over years and locations.