author(s)
Aashish Vivek Vaidya

abstract
An experiment was
carried out on F₃ progenies derived of the cross Pusa Samrudhi × DHARWAD
BOTTLE GOURD-5 in bottle gourd to evaluate genetic variability, genotypic
and phenotypic coefficients of variation, heritability, genetic advance, and
correlation among thirteen agronomic traits. Considerable genotypic and
phenotypic variability, along with high heritability and substantial genetic
advance expressed as a percentage of the mean, were observed for key traits
including the number of primary branches per vine, number of fruits per vine,
yield per vine, and average fruit weight. These findings suggest that these
traits are largely controlled by additive gene action, making them amenable to
improvement through simple selection methods. Additionally, yield per vine
showed a strong and significant positive correlation at both phenotypic and
genotypic levels with several important traits such as sex ratio, node of first
female flower appearance, average fruit length, and fruit diameters measured at
the pedicel, center, and stylar end, as well as the number of fruits per vine.
Therefore, traits related to floral development and fruit morphology should be
given priority in breeding programs aimed at enhancing yield potential in
bottle gourd.