Variability and Correlation Studies in Bottle Gourd

Genotypic and phenotypic variability with respect to different morphological characters which directly or indirectly bear upon yielding ability was recorded in a varietal collection of Bottle gourd. Characters like number of fruits per plant, girth of fruit and length of fruit showed high heritability values accompanied by high genetic gain, which may be attributed to considerable additive gene effects. The high estimates of these characters are indicative of the usefulness of these characters in a breeding programme for bottle gourd. Yield was also found to have significant association with the characreers having high heritability estimates, indicating thereby the possibility of success for selection in these characters.