Gene actions for fruit yield and quality characters of tomato through generation mean analysis

Nature of gene action for fruit yield and quality characters of tomato was determined analyzing the mean and variances of the six genetic populations (P₁, P₂, F₁, F₂,BC₁ and BC₂) of three cross combinations: Oregon Pride × BCT-115, Oregon Pride × CLN 2116 B and Oregon Pride × BC ps. The parthenocarpic line, Oregon Pride and three widely divergent non-parthenocarpic lines, dark green fruited genotypes, T 4099 dg og^c (BCT-115), heat tolerant line (CLN 2116 B) and positional sterile (ps) line BC ps. Non-additive gene action including non-allelic interactions was important for the genetic control of all the characters which indicated that yield components and fruit quality traits were predominantly under the control of non-fixable gene effects. Narrow sense heritability estimates in all the characters were low to moderate additive genes indicating that environment will have much influence on such traits. Presence of complementary type epistasis for fruit yield and lycopene content indicated the possibility of developing hybrids for high fruit yield and high lycopene content in fruits.