Genetic divergence and path analysis in diverse brinjal genotypes along with pest infestation

The magnitude of PCV was higher than the corresponding GCV for all the characters studied. The study revealed that highly significant differences were observed for most of the traits. Mean performance showed that Tuni local (3398.71g) registered highest fruit yield per plant followed by Andra local (2646.86 g). High estimates of genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) and phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) were observed for trichome density on leaf, internodal length, days to first flowering, length of the pedicel, fruit length and width ratio, fruit weight, fruit circumference, fruits / plant, total sugars, phenol content of fruit and leaf, % fruit and shoot damage, % intensity of jassid and fruit yield / plant indicating that selection can be predicted to improve the brinjal genotypes for these characters. The high estimates of heritability coupled with high genetic advance as % of mean estimated for the shoot thickness, trichome density on leaf, internodal length, days to first flowering, fruit length and width ratio, fruit weight, fruit circumference, total sugars, starch content of fruit, protein, phenol, fruit yield / plant indicated that selection will be effective for improvement of these characters.