Study on Genetic Diversity and its Relation to Heterosis in F1 Hybrids of Germplasm Lines of Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.)

Diversity is an important criterion in the selection of elite germplasm lines to develop highly heterotic F₁ hybrids. The heterosis and diversity study was conducted on 28 F₁ hybrids of brinjal derived from germplasm lines viz., IC-112995, IC-111305, IC-90952, IC-99704, IC-99663, IC-136210, IC-126784 and a local cultivar Manjri Gota at botany garden, UAS Dharwad during summer 2006. Fruit weight (g), number of fruits per plant and fruit yield (g) exhibited considerably high magnitude of heterosis. High heterosis for fruit yield was attributed to increased fruit weight and number of fruits per plant. Thirty six entries comprising 28 F₁ hybrids and 8 parents were grouped in six clusters. Based on parental divergence, all 28 hybrids were grouped in 4 divergence classes. The combination of heterosis and diversity analysis indicated the high frequency of hybrids classified under DC2 and DC3 suggesting moderate genetic diversity is most desirable to produce highly heterotic hybrids.