Genetic parameters, character association and path analysis for fruit yield and itscomponents in ber (Ziziphus mauritiana)

Abstract

An experiment was carried out during 2002–07 to assess the nature and genetic parameters and their utilization to develop superior genotypes of Indian jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana Lamk.) for Punjab region. The high estimates (>15%) of genotypic co-efficient of variation (GCV) recorded for stone weight, fruit weight, pulp stone ratio, fruits yield/plant, total soluble salts and fruit length, indicated the presence of adequate genetic variation among the genotypes and suitability of these attributes for further improvement by selection. The characters, like stone weight, fruit weight, pulp stone ratio, fruit yield/plant and total soluble salts showed high heritability estimates coupled with high genetic advances. It can therefore be inferred that these traits are under the control of additive gene action and phenotypic selection for their improvement may be effective. The estimates of correlation co-efficients showed positive significant association of fruits yield/plant with pulp percentage (0.5476) and pulp:stone ratio (0.5329), while it was negatively associated with stone weight (–0.5166) and total soluble salts (–0.3567). Path analysis revealed that fruit weight (0.6381), followed by pulp percentage (0.5050) and total soluble salts (0.4997) had quite high direct effects on fruit yield. Fruit weight showed indirect contribution via fruit length (0.3378), fruit breadth (0.4463), pulp percentage (0.4284) and pulp stone ratio (0.4115), indicating that fruit weight is the major contributor towards fruit yield/plant.