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Plant Gene and Trait, 2013, Vol.4, No.2, 4
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Table 5 Relative contribution of different characters to genetic
diversity in brinjal
Character
Number of
first rank
Percentage of
contribution
Plant height (cm)
0
0.00
Days to first flowering
0
0.00
Number of branches per plant
0
0.00
Fruit length (cm)
1
1.09
Fruit pedicel length (cm)
0
0.00
Fruit circumference (cm)
12
13.18
Calyx length (cm)
0
0.00
Number of fruits per plant
0
0.00
Average fruit weight (g)
3
3.29
Shoot borer infestation (%)
5
5.49
Fruit borer infestation (%)
5
5.49
Little leaf incidence (%)
12
13.18
Ascorbic acid content
(mg/100g)
0
0.00
Total phenols content
(mg/100g)
9
9.89
Fruit yield per plant (kg)
44
48.35
Total
91
100
found nil. While the contribution of fruit length and
average fruit weight was minimal. The study also
indicated that the characters such as fruit yield per
plant, fruit circumference, little leaf incidence and
total phenol content, should also be considered while
selecting parents for hybridization as they are important
contributors of genetic divergence.
3 Materials and Methods
The experiment was conducted at the College Orchard,
Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai
during 2009~2010 which is situated at 9°5 latitude and
78°5 longitude and at an elevation of 147 m above
MSLwith 14 genotypes (10 local types and four released
varieties) of eggplant representing samples from
different locations. The seeds of these germplasm
were sown on the seedbed and thirty-five days old
seedlings were transplanted in the main field with a
plant spacing of 60 cm maintaining a row distance of
60cm. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized
Block Complete Design with three replications. Cultural
practices were followed as per the package of practices
of TNAU Crop Production Guide (2005). Thirty
plants were accommodated in a plot with a data were
recorded from five randomly selected plants from each
plot for plant height, days to first flowering, number
of branches per plant, fruit length, fruit pedicel length,
fruit circumference, calyx length, number of fruits per
plant, average fruit weight, shoot borer infestation,
fruit borer infestation, little leaf incidence, ascorbic
acid content, total phenol content and fruit yield per
plant in 14 parents. Plot means over the replications
were used for the statistical analysis. Genetic diversity
was studied following Mahalanobis’s (1936) generalized
distance (D
2
) extended by Rao (1952). Based on the
D
2
values, the genotypes were grouped into clusters
following the method suggested by Tocher (Rao, 1952).
Intra and inter cluster distances were calculated by the
methods of Singh and Chaudhury (1985). Statistical
analyses were carried out using GENRES software.
Authors' Contributions
Dr. S. Ramesh Kumar conceived the overall study,
performed the experiment designs and drafted the
manuscript. Dr. T. Arumugam and Dr. C.R. Anandakumar
took part in the experiment as chairman and member
of the advisory. The above scientists read the manuscript
and revised it. All authors had read and consent the
final text.
Acknowledgements
The authors are thankful to various research institutes
Viz
., Vegetable Research Station Palur, Agricultural
College and Research Institute, Killikulam, Madurai
and TNAU, Coimbatore for providing the germplasms
to carry out the present investigation. Dr. V. Premala-
kshmi, Assistant Professor (Horticulture), Agricultural
College and Research Institute, Madurai is duly
acknowledged for giving valuable suggestions during
my research period.
References
Anonymous, 2010, Area, production and productivity of brinjal
in India during 2009-2010, www.indiastat.com
Arunachalam V., 1981, Genetic distances in plant breeding,
Indian J. Genet., 41: 226-236