Genetics of growth and yield attributing traits of brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) through six generation mean analysis

Understanding gene action of different traits is of utmost importance for formulating successful breeding programs. The population was developed involving Arka Neelachal Shyama and CARI-1 to inquire the gene actions controlling the inheritance of several growth as well as yield attributingparameters through six-generation mean analysis. Three parameter model revealed the insufficiency of the simpler additive dominance model for the evaluated traits, referring to the existence of inter-allelic interactions. Six parameter model was implemented to better understand gene actions. Most of the yield and attributing traits under study except number of branches showed a high estimate of dominance as well as environmental variance, disclosing a lower extent of heritability. The number of branches was observed to be controlled by duplicate epistasis. Hence, for the fixation of this trait, the best strategy is to exercise minimal selection during advance generations, followed by intense selection during later generations (F4- population onwards). The preponderance of the narrow sense type of heritability revealed that dominant effects were predominantly accountable for the existing genetic variation. Hence, recurrent selection followed by bi-parental mating and selection during the later stage of generations is advised to increase the occurrence of favorable alleles and accumulation of desirable genes.