Interfamily variability studies in F2:3 population of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

An experiment was carried out with seventeen F2:3 families of tomato derived from the cross IIHR 2201 x C-13-1-2-1 to study the interfamily variability for different growth, yield and quality parameters. None of the characters had shown high estimates of PCV and GCV. Which revealed that lack of variability between the average performance of segregating families for these characters. Low estimates of PCV and GCV were recorded for plant height, days to first flowering, average fruit weight, fruit length, fruit width, pericarp thickness, number of locules per fruit and total soluble solids (TSS). Moderate level of PCV and GCV were observed for number of fruits per plant showing the presence of moderate variability for number of fruits per plant between the families. This shows the selection of families is in positive direction. The magnitude of difference between the PCV and GCV was more for all the parameters, this shows the influence of environmental factors on the expression of these traits. Moderate to low heritability coupled with low GAM was observed for all the traits, indicating non additive gene action for the expression of these traits.