Genetic variability, correlation and path analysis in ridge gourd (Luffa acutangula Roxb. L.)

Abstract

An exploration on genetic variability, correlation and path analysis ridge population of F1 generation was accomplished at Department of Horticulture, Agriculture College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Madurai during kharif 2018 with the intention to investigate the genetic variability, heritability, genetic advance, correlation and path analysis for yield and yield contributing traits viz., days to first male flower, days to first female flower, node to first male flower, node to first female flower, sex ratio, vine length (m), days to harvest, fruit weight (g), fruit length (cm), fruit girth, rind thickness (mm), flesh thickness (mm), number of fruits per plant, yield per plant (g), yield per hectare (tone), total soluble solids (TSS), dry matter content (%), moisture content (%) and total crude fiber (mg/100g) of 24 F1 hybrids and 10 parent genotypes. The highest genotypic coefficient variation (GCV), phenotypic coefficient variation (PCV), heritability and genetic advance as percent mean were showed for the traits such as dry matter content (50.78, 50.89, 0.99, 104.40), flesh thickness (32.58, 33.19, 0.96, 65.88), yield per plant (30.92, 31.84, 0.92, 61.85), fruit weight (30.17, 30.30, 0.99, 61.91), yield per hectare (29.07,32.13, 0.81, 54.18). The path coefficient analysis shows that fruit weight (0.694), number of fruits per plant (0.534) and yield per plant had highest direct effect on fruit yield per hectare.