Vol. 11, Special Issue 11 (2022)

Author(s):
Azra Lateef, MI Makhdoomi, Taibah Bashir, Insha Hamid and Saima Farooq

Abstract:
The genetic divergence study was conducted in 50 genotypes of Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) for 19 agro-morphological traits. Significant divergence existed among all the 50 genotypes with respect to various quantitative and qualitative traits. The genotypes under study were grouped into 11 clusters as per Mahalanobis D² (1928) analysis employing Tochers method with maximum number of genotypes in cluster I (32) followed by cluster IV(9), and rest of the clusters were monogenotypic. The per cent contribution towards the total genetic divergence revealed that fruit yield, plant height, plant spread, dry matter, anthocyanin content were the main contributing characters towards total genetic divergence. The crosses between the genotypes of cluster VIII with VII and III and cluster XI with those of VIII, VI and IX are likely to exhibit high heterosis and produce recombinants with desired traits in segregating generations. 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 for commercial cultivation after testing them over years and locations.