GENETIC DIVERSITY, CORRELATION AND PATH CO-EFFICIENT ANALYSIS IN BOTTLE GOURD (Lagenaria siceraria L.)

Abstract

Thirty one genotypes of bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria L.) were studied in a field experiment conducted at the experimental field of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, during October 2008 to March 2009. The objectives of the study were to measure the variability among the genotypes for yield and yield contributing characters, estimate genetic parameters, association among the characters and their contribution to yield There was a great deal of significant variation for all the characters among the genotypes. High genotypic co-efficient of variation (CCV) was observed for yield per plant, days to first male flowering and female flower pedicel length whereas low genotypic co-efficient of variation (CCV) was observed for leaf petiole length and male flower pedicel length. In all cases, phenotypic variances were higher than the genotypic variance. High heritability with low genetic advance in percent of mean was observed in leaf petiole length which indicated that non-additive gene effects were involved for the expression of this character and selection for such trait might not be rewarding. High heritability with high genetic advance in percent of mean was observed for yield per plant and days of first male flowering indicated that this trait was under additive gene control and selection for genetic improvement for this trait would be effective. Correlation studies revealed that highest significant association of yield per plant with vegetative characters no. of branches per vine followed by leaf breadth and with reproductive characters no. of fruit per plant followed by fruit weight at genotypic level. Path co-efficient analysis revealed maximum direct contribution towards yield per plant with vegetative traits of no. of branches per vine followed by leaf breadth and reproductive traits of no. of fruit per plant followed by fruit weighL Highest intra-cluster distance was found in cluster fl and lowest in cluster 1. Among five clusters, the highest inter-cluster distance was observed between cluster I and cluster LII and lowest between cluster H and cluster IV. Considering all the characters the G4 (13134580), 031 (1313-8948), 026 (BD- 4560) and 028 (BD4569) were selected for future breeding programme.