MSc

The project entitled “Generation mean analysis in brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) for yield and yield attributes” was carried out at College of Agriculture, Vellayani during 2013-15 to study the gene action and inheritance pattern of yield and yield attributes using generation mean analysis. In generation mean analysis six generations viz., P1, P2, F1, F2, B1 and B2 of three crosses (Wardha local x Surya, Wardha local x NBR-38 and Swetha x Haritha) were evaluated in a field experiment for thirteen yield components. Results showed that in cross 1 additive gene effects (additive, additive x additive) were important for fruit girth, fruit volume, number of fruits per cluster, yield per plant and non additive gene actions (dominance, additive x dominance and dominance x dominance) were recorded for fruit length, days to first flower, days to first harvest, calyx length, fruit volume, number of fruits per plant, number of primary branches and plant height. In cross 2 additive gene effects were predominant for fruit weight, yield per plant and fruit and shoot borer incidence while only non additive gene actions were important for all other traits. In cross 3 additive gene action was reported for fruit and shoot borer incidence and days to first harvest and all other characters were under the control of non additive gene action. Duplicate type of epistasis was observed for most of the crosses. The study of F2 population was undertaken in compact family block design with eight families and five progenies within family to assess the variability between families and among progenies within each family. Eight F1 hybrids selected were selfed to raise eight F2 families. Based on the mean values of eight families and their progenies, variability among the families and progenies within families were studied.
The analysis of variance conducted for eight F2 families showed significant differences among the progenies for different characters. Family 2 (Wardha local x Surya) took the minimum number of days to first flowering and first harvest. Maximum fruit length and number of fruits per cluster were recorded
in Family 7 (Wardha local x Selection Pooja). Maximum number of fruits per plant was recorded in Family 4 (Wardha local x Swetha) and maximum plant height, fruit volume, fruit weight and yield per plant were recorded in Family 6 (Surya x Haritha). The magnitude of variation shown among the progenies of eight families revealed the heterogenous nature of F2 families. All families except family 6 showed significant variation among progenies for days to first flowering and fruit length. Variations among progenies for girth of fruit was expressed by all families except family 8. None of the families exhibited significant variation among the progenies for number of fruits per cluster. All the families possess significant variations among progenies for number of primary branches, days to first harvest, plant height, number of fruits per plant, fruit weight and yield. Families 2 and 8 revealed significant variation among the progenies for volume of fruit. All families except family 4 and 6 showed significant difference among progenies for calyx length. Family 4 and 5 showed significant difference among progenies for percentage of plants infested with shoot and fruit borer. Based on the results wide variability among the families and progenies within families revealed the heterogenous nature of F2 families. The study revealed that among the families studied family 6 recorded maximum fruit weight and yield per plant. Superior F2 progeny can be used in further improvement programmes. The predominance of additive gene effects as well as non-additive gene effects were recorded for fruit weight, fruits per plant and yield per plant. The study suggested that characters governed by predominance of additive component could be improved through selection.