Studies on Genetic Variability, Correlation Analysis in Mithipagal (Momordica charantia var. muricata) Genotypes

The present investigation was carried out in Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore to study the “Genetic variability and correlation analysis in Mithipagal (Momordica charantia var. muricata) genotypes”. Observations on vine length, days to male flower inflorescence, days to female flower inflorescence, node of first male flower appearance, node of first female flower appearance, sex ratio, number of fruits per vine, fruit weight, fruit length, fruit girth, number of seeds per fruit, yield per vine, ascorbic acid, protein content, iron content and total soluble solids were recorded. Variability and correlation analysis among genotypes were examined. The results, showed that yield per plant had high positive and high significant correlation with fruit weight, fruit girth, number of seeds per fruit, vine length and fruit length. High genotypic co-efficients of variation (GCV) were found for fruit yield per vine, fruit weight, TSS, fruit length, vine length, fruit girth, node of first female flower, number of fruits per vine, number of seeds per fruit, iron, protein content when genetic characteristics were taken into account, However low GCV was found for days to the first male and female flowering. Phenotypic variants were always greater than genotypic variances. For traits such asyield per vine, fruit weight, TSS, fruit length, vine length, fruit girth, number of fruits per vine, number of. seeds per fruit, node of first male flower appearance, node of first female flower appearance, sex ratio, vitamin C, protein, iron content high heritability was found together with high genetic advance in percent of mean, indicating that these features are under additive gene control and hence selection for genetic improvement would be successful. Node of first male flower appearance showed low heritability combined with low genetic advance as a percentage of the mean indicating that non-additive gene effects were involved in the expression of this trait and hence selection for such a trait could not be beneficial. The knowledge of these statistical factors would be useful in identifying genotypes with greater yield potential that might be used in the improvement of mithipagal.