Evaluation of genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance in sponge gourd (<em>Luffa cylindrica</em> L. Roem.) for various quantitative traits

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out at Main Experiment Station, Department of Vegetable Science, Narendra Deva University of Agriculture & Technology, Kumarganj, Faizabad (U.P.) during summer season, to evaluate the available germplasms for yield and its component traits of 30 genotypes, with three replications in Randomized Block Design. The study revealed that the mean sum squares due to genotypes were significant for all the characters, though the wide range of genetic variability in the material. Genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance were studied in 13 genotypes of sponge gourd. The phenotypic coefficient of variations (PCV) was higher than the genotypic coefficients of variations (GCV) for all traits studied, indicating that the apparent variation is not only genetic but also influenced by the growing environment in the expression of the characters. The genotypic coefficients of variation and phenotypic coefficients of variation were moderate to low for all the characters except Vine length(39.53%, 40.09%) followed by node number to anthesis of first staminate flower (33.12%, 34.13%) and lower value days to first marketable fruit harvest (11.79%, 13.28%), days to anthesis of first staminate flower (12.57%, 13.69%) and days to anthesis of first pistillate flower (13.69%, 14.78%).High heritability coupled with high genetic advance was estimated for most of the traits viz., vine length (97.24%, 80.31%), node number to anthesis of first staminate flower (94.21%, 66.23%) and number of fruits per plant (92.49%, 45.65%)thus indicating that these traits had additive gene effect so that, they are more reliable for effective selection.