Studies on character association and path coefficient analysis for various qualitative and quantitative traits in bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standl.)

Abstract

Correlation and path coefficient analysis were studied at genotypic and phenotypic levels in 100 treatments (10 parents + 45 F1s and 45 F2s) of bottle gourd for sixteen qualitative and quantitative traits during zaid 2021. The experimental design which is used for to conduct the experiment was randomized block design. In F1, the mean sum of squares of genotypes were observed highly significant differences among the treatments for days to first staminate flower anthesis, days to first pistillate flower, node number to first staminate flower appears, node number to first pistillate flower appears, ratio of pistillate: staminate flowers, internodal length (cm), vine length at last picking stage (m), number of primary branches per plant, average weight per fruit (kg), number of fruits per plant, fruit length (cm), total soluble solids (TSS) 0Brix, specific gravity of fruits (g/cc), dry matter content (%) and fruit yield per plant (kg). In case of F2, highly significant differences were recorded among the treatments, parents, F2s and parent vs F2 for all the characters except Specific gravity of fruits for treatments and F2s while for days to first staminate flower anthesis, days to first pistillate flower, Internodal length, days to first fruit harvest and number of fruit /plant. Days to first staminate flower anthesis showed significant correlation at genotypic level with positive value for Days to first pistillate flower, Internodal length (cm), Vine length at last picking stage (m), Days to first fruit harvest, Average fruit weight and specific gravity of fruit. Days to first pisitillate flower expressed positive significance correlation with average fruit weight and dry matter content. Node no. To first pistillate flower appears was positively correlated with T.S.S. Internodal length (cm) exhibited positive significant correlation with Vine length at last picking stage (m), No. of primary branches per plant, Days to first fruit harvest, Avg. fruit wt. (kg), fruit length and Specific gravity of fruits (g/cc). Vine length at last picking stage (m) showed positive significant association with No. Of primary branches per plant, Days to first fruit harvest, Avg. fruit wt. (kg) and fruit length. No. Of primary branches per plant exhibited positively significant correlation with Days to first fruit harvest, Avg. fruit wt. (kg), No. of fruit/plant and fruit length. Days to first fruit harvest expressed positive association with Avg. fruit wt. (kg), fruit length and Specific gravity of fruits (g/cc). Avg. fruit wt. (kg) showed positive correlation with No. of fruit /plant and fruit length. No. of fruit /plant was positively correlated with fruit length. T.S.S. showed positive correlation with specific gravity of fruit and dry matter content at genotypic level. The path coefficient analysis revealed that Days to first staminate flower anthesis, internodal length, number of primary branches per plant, Avg. fruit wt., No. Of fruit/plant in F1 showed positive direct effect. It was also found that Days to first fruit harvest showed high indirect effect on fruit yield via. Internodal length (cm).