Author(s):

Sasmita Priyadarsini Dash, Jitendra Singh and Dhananjaya Sharma

Abstract: Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) is an important solanaceous vegetable in many countries of Asia and Africa. The crop is extremely variable in India, for this reason, the crop as being of Indian origin. Assessment of genetic resources is the starting point of any crop improvement programme. In the present study, 110 accessions of eggplant were maintained in All India Coordinated Research Project on Vegetable Crops, at Horticultural Research and Instruction Farm, Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Raipur (C.G.) during kharif 2015 and evaluated for sixteen quantitative and twenty qualitative characters. A highly significant difference was observed for all characters. Most of genotypes showed intermediate growth habit, intermediate leaf lobing and acute leaf blade tip angle. Development of prickles in different plant parts was a predominant features. Prickles appeared in stem, petiole, calyx including peduncle and leaf including veins. Most of genotypes were early to mid-early flowering and born in three patterns i.e. solitary, cyme and mixed (both solitary and cyme). Out of 110 genotypes, 61 genotypes were having purple colour flowers, 30 genotypes were with purple white, while 19 genotypes had white colour flowers. The fruit shape was observed to variable and found oblong (19.09%), round (15%), medium long (18%) and long (47.27%). The genotypes fell into six fruit colour groups namely green (37.27%), purple (25.45%), milky white (13.62%) purple black (12.72%), light purple or liliac grey (9.09%) and scarlet red (1.08%).The genetic differences among the genotypes are potentially relevant to breeding programmes in that the variability created through hybridization of the contrasting forms could be exploited.

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