Studies on genetic diversity for quantitative and quality traits in wild/semi domesticated small bitter gourd genotypes

Aim: To evaluate genetic divergence for quantitative traits viz. growth, yield and quality characters among twenty small bitter gourd genotypes (Momordica charantia L var muricata) under Cauvery delta region.

Methodology: A field experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design with 3 replications. Genetic divergence among 20 genotypes was estimated using Principal component analysis and Cluster analysis. The data analysis was done using statistical tools viz., SPSS, GRAPES and TNAUSTAT.

Results: GCV and PCV were found to be high for all the traits under investigation with the exception of days to the first and final fruit harvest, total phenol, vitamin C, and antioxidant FRAP activity, which had moderate values. The principal components (PCA) found five independent components accounting 85.78% of the total variance among 20 genotypes. Hierarchical cluster analysis grouped twenty genotypes into four distinct clusters.

Interpretation: High GCV and PCV indicate that the phenotype is resultant of genetic constitution and not due to environmental effect. The traits with high heritability and genetic advance responded well for direct selection. Heterosis can be exploited through hybridization between the genotypes placed in different clusters and are likely to produce superior F1 hybrids.

Key words: Genetic diversity, Heritability, Momordica charantia, Small bitter gourd