Genetic Variability and Heritability Studies in Local Collections of Sponge Gourd [Luffa cylindrica (Linn.) M. Roem.]

Genetic variability and heritability for different characters were studied in luffa cylindrica with 30 genotypes. High magnitude of genotypic and phenotypic variance were observed for all the characters viz., days to appear first male flower, days to appear first female flower, node umber at which first female flower appear, number of fruit per plant, fruit weight, fruit length, fruit diameter, number of seeds per fruit, 100- seed weight, and marketable fruit yield per plant. High estimates of heritability along with high genetic advance were recorded for marketable fruit yield per plant, fruit length and number of fruit per plant which indicated the effectiveness of additive gene action. Thus these traits could be used effectively in developing high yielding varieties of sponge gourd.