Variability studies in bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.)
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Date
2019
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CCSHAU
Abstract
The present investigation entitled “Variability studies in bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.)” was
carried out at Research Farm of the Department of Vegetable Science, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar
during a spring-summer season of 2018.The study material comprised of genetically diverse 27 bitter gourd
genotypes which were evaluated in randomized block design with three replications. The genotypes were taken
from IIVR Varanasi and Department of Vegetable Science, CCSHAU, Hisar. These genotypes were evaluated on
the basis of morphological traits like leaf shape, leaf pubescence, fruit neck, fruit skin colour, fruit shape in
longitudinal section, shape of fruit at blossom end, shape of fruit at peduncle end and also on the basis of 16
quantitative characters viz., days to 50% germination, number of primary branches, days to first male flower
opening, days to first female flower opening, nodes to first male flower, nodes to first female flower, leaf length
(cm), leaf width (cm), leaf blade, days to first fruit harvest, length of fruit (cm), diameter of fruit (cm), vine length
at the time of final harvest (m), weight of 100 seeds (g), number of fruits per vine and fruit yield per vine (kg).
Analysis of variance studies exhibited highly significant variation among all the genotypes for all the characters
under study except nodes to first male flower, nodes to first female flower, leaf length (cm). High genotypic
coefficient of variation (GCV) and phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) values were recorded for the
characters number of fruits per vine (26.41 and 26.64) and number of primary branches (22.50 and 23.14)
suggesting a wider range of genetic variability present for these characters. High heritability along with high
genetic advance was found in case of number of fruits per vine (95.18 and 53.96), number of primary branches
(85.20 and 45.06), weight of 100 seeds (98.98 and 37.26), fruit yield per vine (96.64 and 31.03) showing strong
impact of additive gene effect, encouraging direct selection of these traits for further use in yield improvement of
bitter gourd. The fruit yield per vine in kg had positive and highly significant correlation with number of primary
branches (0.662 and 0.627), leaf length (0.291 and 0.252), length of fruit (0.518 and 0.411) and diameter of fruit
(0.495 and 0.389) at both genotypic and phenotypic levels. It inferred that the improvement in these traits will
directly lead to an increase in total fruit yield. Among all the 16 quantitative characters, eight characters showed
positive direct effect on fruit yield per vine at genotypic level that is, number of fruits per vine (1.4136), nodes to
first male flowering (0.5390), length of fruit (0.5376), days to 50% germination (0.4042), leaf blade (0.2574), days
to first female flowering (0.0748), leaf length (0.0717) and days to first fruit harvest (0.0048). The genotypes viz.,
IC 85624 followed by HK 113, IC 85610, IC 85605 were found promising in terms of fruit yield and related traits
which could be further utilized for future breeding programmes.
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