Assessment of variability in snap melon (Cucumis melo var. Momordica duth. & full) genotypes

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out at Department of Vegetable Crops, TNAU, Coimbatore – 03 during 2016 – 2017. The experimental material comprised of 23 snap melon genotypes collected from various locations in and around Tamil Nadu and also from other states of India. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with three replications. Analysis of variance revealed that there is a considerable variability exists among the genotypes for all the twenty one characters. High phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation were recorded for number of primary branches (28.16 and 28.22), node at which first male flower appearance (34.19 and 34.26), stem thickness (20.20 and 20.98), length of the fruit (27.50 and 27.67), weight of the fruit (29.54 and 29.69), number of fruits per plant (29.79 and 29.92), yield per plant (34.54 and 34.63), vine length (22.94 and 24.07) and Ascorbic acid (26.15 and 26.34). High level of heritability with moderate genetic advance as percentage mean was recorded by days to first male flower appearance (89.53 and 14.09 per cent) and days to first female flower appearance (90.11 and 18.94 per cent).