Genetical analysis for quantitative and qualitative traits in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) under open and protected environment

Abstract

Twelve divergent lines of tomato and their 66F1 hybrids were studied to investigate the extent of heterosis and general and specific combining ability effects for five quantitative and three qualitative traits under open and polyhouse environments in mid hill conditions of Central Himalayas. The additive as well as non-additive gene effects played significant role in the inheritance of the yield and other traits. Higher proportion of gea x environment interaction variance as compared to sea x environment estimates were recorded. Additive genetic variances were more sensitive than non-genetic variances to changing environment. Parent Azad T-2 and DARL-64 were adjudged best general combiner for yield per plant, while parent EC 386037 and Sel-7 were the good general combiner for all the quality traits studied. Significant heterosis was found for yield per plant under open and polyhouse environment respectively over mid and top parent and commercial control revealed that there was a great scope of realizing higher yield in tomato through heterosis breeding. The cross combinations EC 386032 x BL-342, Mechin x EC 386023 and Azad T-2 x Hawaii-7998, Azad T-2 x DARL-64, were identified as the best heterotic combinations under open and protected environments respectively.