MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION AND DISEASE REACTION STUDIES IN CAULIFLOWER
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Date
2022-09
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UHF.NAUNI
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The present investigation entitled “Morphological Characterization and Disease Reaction
Studies in Cauliflower” was carried out at the Research Farm of Department of Vegetable Science,
Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan (HP) during Rabi season 2020-
21. Thirty genotypes of cauliflower including check variety PSBK-1 were evaluated for
morphological characters based on DUS, horticultural traits and disease reaction to black rot and stalk
rot which were further analysed in completely randomized design. The experiment was laid out in
Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The genotypes were
morphologically classified based on twenty one DUS characters. This variation is useful in
identification of superior genotypes for inclusion in breeding programmes or direct use as a cultivar.
Furthermore, association of any of these morphological characters with desirable traits or yield
components can serve as a phenotypic marker in the selection process. Analysis of variance for
horticultural traits revealed significant differences among all the genotypes for most of the characters
under study. Mean performance of genotypes for various traits revealed that genotype Pusa Himjyoti
recorded the highest marketable curd yield per hectare and genotypes Snowball Super, White Heart,
UHF-CAU-1, Early Snowball, UHF-CAU-4, UHF-CAU-8 and KT-18 were found to be statistically at
par with Pusa Himjyoti. All these genotypes have white to snow white curd with self- blanching habit.
High heritability along with moderate genetic advance as per cent of mean was recorded for net curd
weight indicating the occurrence of additive gene action. High heritability along with low genetic
advance as per cent of mean was observed in plant height, leaf length, plant spread, stalk length and
gross plant weight indicating the prevalence of non-additive gene interaction for these traits.
Correlation coefficient revealed that the number of leaves per plant, plant spread, curd polar diameter,
curd equatorial diameter, curd size index, curd solidity, gross plant weight and net curd weight were
significantly and positively correlated with marketable curd weight. Thus, selection of these traits may
be effective for selecting superior genotypes with high marketable curd weight. The maximum
positive direct effect on marketable curd weight was contributed by curd equatorial diameter followed
by curd polar diameter, net curd weight, curd solidity and number of leaves per plant. Thus,
improvement in these characters will lead to higher yield in cauliflower. In case of disease reaction
studies, no genotype was found resistant to stalk rot but in case of black rot, only one genotype White
Heart was found resistant whereas Snowball Super and PSBK-1 showed moderately resistant reaction