Studies on correlation and path coefficient analysis in tomato (Solanum lycopersicon L.)

Abstract

Fifty genotypes of tomato collected from different location of India and maintained at Department of Vegetable Science were evaluated for ten quantitative characters in randomized complete block design with three replications at Main Experiment Station, Vegetable Research Farm, Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Narendra Nagar (Kumarganj), Faizabad (U.P.), India, during 2011-2012. Genotypic correlation coefficients were generally similar in nature and higher in magnitude than the corresponding phenotypic correlation coefficients. Fruit yield per plant had exhibited highly significant and positive association with number of fruits per plant, number of primary branches per plant, plant height, pericarp thickness, average fruit weight and fruit diameter. While, days to 50 per cent flowering showed negative and significant association with yield per plant. Number of fruits per plant, pericarp thickness and fruit diameter were identified as most important traits which contributed considerable positive direct effect on fruit yield per plant. The negative direct effects on fruit yield per plant were exhibited by total soluble solids and number of locules per fruit. Substantial positive indirect effects on fruit yield per plant were exerted by number of primary branches per plant, plant height and total soluble solids via number of fruits per plant.