Mean Performance and Genetic Variability Exploration for Fruit Yield and its Attributing Traits in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

The present study was conducted to access the relative performance, genetic variability, genetic advance and heritability in thirty genotypes of tomato crop. The crop was sown under Randomized Block Design (RBD) in three replications at Regional Research Station Karnal, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, during the Autumn Winter season of 2021-22. The observations were recorded for eight parameters pertaining to the fruit yield and its attributing traits in tomato. Statistics from analysis of variance showed substantial differences among the genotypes that unveils the plausible presence of significant genetic variability which could be positively exploited in crop improvement programs. The results obtained in the experiment showed that Pusa Ruby (38 days) was earliest to flower in 50% plants followed by EC-631351 (40 days). Genotype Selection 7 took the least (66) number of days to first picking and genotype Kashi Hemant took the maximum (155 days) number of days to last picking. Genotype EC-615056 recorded the maximum (57.71 g) average fruit weight and genotypes namely EC-631457, EC-631357 and Pusa Early Dwarf observed highest fruit yield per plant. Narrow differences were recorded for the phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation for all the characters, which denotes that environment had very little influence in expression of the characters and phenotype truly represents the genotype. High to moderate magnitude of genotypic coefficient of variation and phenotypic coefficient of variation was recorded for almost all the characters in our investigation. Plant characters days to first picking, days to 50% flowering, days to last picking, plant height at harvest recorded high (>70%) magnitude of heritability in broad sense implying least influence of environment over these characters. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance was observed for characters like days to 50% flowering and plant height at harvesting.