Studies on Genetic Variability, Heritability and Genetic Advance among the Characters of Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.)

Twenty tomato genotypes were evaluated to genetic variability, heritability and genetic advanceamong the characters of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill). The genotypes were planted inRandomized Block Design with three replications during the Kharif season- 2020 at HorticultureResearch centre, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture & Technology, Meerut, U.P. (250110). The analysis of variance revealed high significant differences among the genotypes for all thecharacters under studies, suggesting sufficient variability for yield and yield contributing characters.The phenotypic coefficient of variations (PCV) was higher than the genotypic coefficients of variations(GCV) for all traits studied. The maximum phenotypic and genotypic coefficient (PCV and GCV) wasobserved for number of fruits per plant (38.11 & 37.57), number of clusters per plant (36.17 & 34.72),number of locules per fruit (33.23 & 29.99), number of seeds per fruit (31.71 & 31.25), fruit yield perhectare (26.76 & 25.28) and fruit yield per plant (26.23 &25.45). Heritability estimates variedfrom(60.97) number of fruits per cluster to (97.19) number of fruits per plant. genetic advance expressed as percentage of mean was high (>20%) for number of fruits per plant (76.30), number of clusters perplant (68.65), number of seeds per fruit (63.46), number of locules per fruit (55.77), fruit yield per plant(50.85), fruit yield per hectare (49.21), average fruit weight (42.96), 1000 seeds weight (32.87), harvestduration (31.25), number of primary branches (29.07), plant height (28.39) and minimum for fruits percluster (26.76) indicating the additive genetic effect. Phenotypic selection for their improvement could be achieved by simple selection.