Dr. K. RAVINDER REDDYB. RAVALI2019-09-112019-09-112016-09-22Sri Konda Laxman Telangana State Horticultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad-30http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810127369The D2 analysis was carried out for nineteen characters which partitioned the thirty five genotypes into ten clusters. The maximum divergence was observed between cluster VIII and IX indicating that the genotypes of these clusters are highly divergent. Fruit yield per plant and average fruit weight had more contribution to total divergence. Hence selection of one or two genotypes from cluster VIII and IX based on fruit yield per plant and fruit weight and crossing would result in high heterosis and throw useful trangressive segregants.The present investigation was undertaken to estimate the genetic divergence in brinjal and to carry out yield component analysis through correlation and path analysis. Thirty five genotypes were sown in a Randomized Block Design with three replications, during rabi 2015 at College of Horticulture, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad. The objective of the experiment was to identify divergent genotypes to use as donor parents in hybridization programmes. The D2 analysis was carried out for nineteen characters which partitioned the thirty five genotypes into ten clusters. The maximum divergence was observed between cluster VIII and IX indicating that the genotypes of these clusters are highly divergent. Fruit yield per plant and average fruit weight had more contribution to total divergence. Hence selection of one or two genotypes from cluster VIII and IX based on fruit yield per plant and fruit weight and crossing would result in high heterosis and throw useful trangressive segregants. The analysis of variance of RBD revealed highly significant differences among the genotypes for all the 19 characters studied. The values of PCV and GCV for number of fruits per cluster, number of fruits per plant, fruit length, fruit width, average fruit weight, fruit yield per plant, ascorbic acid content, total phenol content and shoot and fruit borer infestation were high indicating that the variability observed in 35 genotypes was high. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance for days to first flowering, days to 50% flowering, number of flower clusters per plant, number of flower per clusters, number of fruits per clusters, number of fruits per plant, fruit length, fruit width, average fruit weight, fruit yield per plant, ascorbic acid content, total phenol content and shoot and fruit borer infestation indicated the involvement of additive gene action and thus the chances of fixing by selection are more to improve such traits. Correlation coefficient analysis revealed highly significant positive association of days to first flowering, days to 50% flowering, number of flower clusters per plant, number of flowers per cluster, number of fruits per cluster, number of fruits per plant, days to last harvest, fruit length, fruit width, average fruit weight and thus these characters were identified as component characters on which selection can be relied upon for genetic improvement of brinjal. Path coefficient analysis revealed that days to first flowering, days to 50 % flowering, number of flower clusters per plant, number of flowers per cluster, number of fruits per cluster, number of fruits per plant, days to last harvest, fruit length, fruit width, average fruit weight, total phenol content had moderate to high positive direct effect on fruit yield per plant, while the remaining characters had negligible to low indirect effect through other component characters. Therefore, average fruit weight and number of fruits per plant are the reliable characters for the improvement of fruit yield. On the basis of mean performance of the genotypes among triats studied, IC-90178, IC-144516, IC-215022, IC-215081 and IC-136098 has been identified as promising genotypes with particular reference to the characters viz., days to first flowering, days to 50% flowering, days to last harvest, fruit length, fruit width, average fruit weight, fruit yield per plant, shoot and fruit borer infestation and ascorbic acid content. So, these genotypes were considered as the promising genotypes and would be used as parental source in breeding programmes.ennullThesis