| Abstract |
The study entitled “Morphological and biochemical characterization of brinjal <br/>(Solanum melongena L.) genotypes” was carried out in the Department of Plant Breeding and <br/>Genetics, College of Agriculture, Padannakkad during 2019-2021. The study was conducted <br/>in two experiments and the objectives were to characterize the brinjal genotypes based on <br/>morphological, biochemical and quality characters; analyze the genetic variability in collected <br/>accessions and to identify best genotypes having high yield, superior quality as well as <br/>resistance/ tolerance to fruit and shoot borer. The experimental material consisted of two wild <br/>species (S. insanum and S. incanum) and twenty eight S. melongena accessions including <br/>collections from North Kerala (Kannur-5, Kasaragod-4, Malappuram-1), accessions from <br/>NBPGR regional station, Thrissur as well as KAU released varieties (Ponny, Haritha and <br/>Surya).<br/>The first experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with 30 genotypes in <br/>three replications and observations were recorded for 12 qualitative, 18 quantitative and 8 fruit <br/>quality and biochemical characters. The analysis of qualitative characters showed wide <br/>variation for corolla colour and fruit characters such as curvature, shape, apex shape, pedicel <br/>and calyx prickles, flesh density, fruiting pattern and colour. The results of analysis of variance <br/>revealed significant differences for all the quantitative characters indicating presence of high <br/>genetic variability. The brinjal genotypes SM-1, SM-5 and SM-11 showed superiority for <br/>percent medium and long styled flowers (67.59%, 42.78%, 61.75%), fruit setting percentage <br/>(63.89%, 37.59%, 55.45%), days to first harvest (61.33, 63.67, 61.67), fruit weight (111.18g, <br/>115.28g, 106.87g) and marketable fruit yield (1874.67g, 1619.67g 1673.33g). The variance <br/>component analysis revealed high heritability coupled with high genetic advance as per cent of <br/>mean for all the fruit and yield characters as well as pericarp thickness, anthocyanin in fruit <br/>peel and vitamin C indicating that most likely the heritability is due to additive effects making <br/>selection effective based on these characters. Correlation and path analysis revealed that fruit <br/>setting percentage, days to first harvest, fruit weight and number of fruits per plant showed <br/>significant genotypic correlation and direct effect depicting true association of these characters <br/>with fruit yield. Selection based on these characters will help to achieve efficient improvement <br/>in fruit yield. <br/>The UPGMA clustering of 30 eggplant accessions for qualitative traits revealed six <br/>groups based on fruit curvature, corolla colour, fruit shape, fruit apex shape, fruit flesh density, <br/>fruit colour. The genetic diversity analysis based on Mahalanobis D2<br/>statistics for 18 <br/>quantitative characters grouped 30 accessions into thirteen clusters. The character fruit weight <br/>contributed maximum towards diversity. The maximum intra-cluster distance was reported in <br/>cluster V followed by cluster IV. The highest inter-cluster distance was recorded between <br/>cluster VII and XII followed by clusters VII and VIII indicating a wide range of diversity <br/>between these clusters providing scope for hybridization between superior genotypes of these <br/>highly divergent clusters. The accessions SM-1, SM-2, SM-5, SM-9, SM-10 and SM-11 <br/>showed superior ranking in their respective clusters based on three yield attributes viz., fruit <br/>weight, fruit setting percentage and marketable fruit yield identified in association and <br/>divergence analysis.<br/>In the second experiment brinjal accessions were screened for resistance to fruit and <br/>shoot borer in a completely randomized design in three replications. The observations were <br/>recorded for percentage of shoots infested and percentage of fruits infested at ten days intervals <br/>and the accessions were grouped into six categories based on severity of damage on fruits. Wild <br/>accessions SM-26 (S. incanum) and SM-27 (S. insanum) were found to be immune, as none of <br/>these plants showed symptoms of infestation. SM-6 and SM-7 were rated as highly resistant <br/>accessions. SM-1, SM-2, SM-3, SM-4, SM-5, SM-8, SM-9, SM-11, SM-14 and Haritha were <br/>found to be moderately resistant. SM-10, SM-13, SM-20, SM-22, Ponny and Surya were <br/>grouped as tolerant. All the remaining accessions were susceptible. Correlation studies between <br/>fruit infestation by fruit and shoot borer with biochemical characters revealed a positive <br/>significant correlation of fruit infestation with total sugars and protein content while a negative <br/>correlation of fruit infestation was obtained with solasodine content as well as phenol content.<br/>The present study resulted in identification of a fair number of high yielding resistant <br/>lines amongst the wide collection of indigenous brinjal germplasm used. The wild relatives <br/>from highly divergent clusters like cluster I (SM-26), cluster VIII (SM-27) and S. melongena<br/>accessions SM-6 and SM-7 can be exploited for their shoot and fruit borer resistance. <br/>Accessions SM-1, SM-2, SM-5, SM-9, SM-10 and SM-11 with higher nutrients (protein >1.22 <br/>g/100g and vitamin C >5.03 mg/100g), a balance of biochemical content (solasodine and <br/>phenol) in addition to high fruit yield (~1300g to ~2100g) and comparatively lesser infestation <br/>of fruit and shoot borer can be considered as the promising parents in future crop improvement <br/>programs.<br/> |
