Genetic variability, Correlation and path analysis studies for yield and yield contributing characters in Pink Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) under sub-tropical plains of Jammu

The present investigation was conducted during the year 2022-2023 with the objectives i) To estimate the magnitude of genetic variability and its contribution trait ii) To find out the correlation between the traits under study and work out the path analysis for yield and yield contributing traits. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with 30 genotypes. Data on the 21 quantitative, qualitative, seed and biotic stress traits has been recorded as per standard procedure. Data on mean performance of all individual plant progenies revealed that genotype Pink long to be the highest yielder followed by long Kashmiri and also performed better for another important desirable trait viz. plant spread, fruit length, fruit diameter, fruit weight, marketable fruit yield per plant. The analysis of genotypic and phenotypic coefficient variance revealed a higher magnitude of PCV than the corresponding GCV for all characters which indicated the effect of environment on the character expression. The highest PCV and GCV were obtained for marketable and unmarketable fruit yield per plant. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance was observed for average fruit weight showing the influence of additive gene action on the characters hence, may be useful for selection. Fruit yield per hectare showed a positive and significant correlation with the number of fruits per plant, fruit diameter, fruit weight, marketable fruit yield per plant, unmarketable fruit yield per plant and total fruit yield per plant while fruit yield per hectare showed a negative and significant correlation with days to first flowering, days to first harvest. Days to first flowering, plant height, plant spread, fruit weight, marketable fruit yield per plant, total fruit yield per plant and number of seeds per fruit showed maximum direct effect on fruit yield per plant.