Genetic Variability and Trait Analysis in Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) for Efficient Selection Strategies

The crop improvement program's success depends largely on the availability, nature and effective utilization of genetic variability in plant species. Variability is a fundamental need for almost every crop improvement program. The total variability observed in the germplasm can be classified into heritable and non-heritable components based on genetic parameters such as phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV), genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV), heritability and genetic advance. This investigation assessed genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance among 36 brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) genotypes for important quantitative traits, aiming to select parameters precisely for varietal improvement. The experiment was conducted in the Kharif 2022 season at the instructional farm of SKN College of Agriculture, SKNAU, Jobner, using a randomized block design (RBD) with three replications and 60 X 60 cm spacing. Variance analysis showed a highly significant genotypic difference for all evaluated characters, indicating substantial variability. Phenotypic coefficients of variation (PCV) exceeded genotypic coefficients of variation (GCV) across traits, suggesting environmental influence on the trait expression. Findings elevated PCV and GCV were noted for the root-knot index (42.49% PCV; 42.11% GCV), fruit volume (42.12% PCV; 41.82% GCV) and fruit yield per plant (39.06% PCV; 35.30% GCV). Broad-sense heritability was high for all traits, ranging from 63.12% (moisture content) to 99.47% (number of flowers per cluster). High heritability, coupled with high genetic advance as a percentage of the mean, was observed for root-knot index (85.96%), fruit volume (85.54%), and fruit yield per plant (65.73%), indicating the predominance of additive gene action. The findings reveal substantial genetic potential among brinjal genotypes. Traits exhibiting high heritability and genetic advance can be effectively improved through direct selection, making them reliable targets for breeding programs aimed at developing high-yielding and superior genotypes. The identification of traits that are mainly influenced by additive gene action is also valuable for selection programs for high-performing and stress-resistant brinjal genotypes.