Genetic Divergence Studies for Quantative and Quality Traits in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

The present experiment was carried out during spring-summer 2013 and 2014 to study genetic diversity for quantitative and quality traits in tomato at vegetable Experimental Farm, Division of Vegetable Science & Floriculture, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Chatha. The 25 genotypes were grouped into six clusters based on D2 values, which exhibited no association between geographical and genetic diversity. The cluster VI was the largest containing 9 genotypes followed by cluster I, II and IV containing four genotypes each. However, the cluster III (Lehar & US-3383) and cluster V (DVRT-2 & Marglobe) had minimum number of genotypes i.e two in each cluster. The intra-cluster distance was recorded maximum for cluster III (3.69) consisting of 2 genotypes namely Lehar & US-3383. Whereas, cluster IV, V, VI had lowest intra cluster distance i.e 0.00. The maximum distance at inter-cluster level was between cluster II and cluster VI (11.48) followed by clusters III and VI (9.83) indicating that the genotypes in these groups can be used for heterosis and recombinant breeding programme which may serve as potential genotypes for hybridization programme. Cluster mean analysis (Table 4) showed that cluster I was earliest to flowering (29.07 days); days to first marketable fruit picking (70.15) and maximum number of fruits per plant (27.73); cluster II showed maximum performance for number of locules per fruit (3.77); betacarotene (5.13mg) and minimum incidence of fruit borer (18.64%); cluster III showed maximum plant height (123.20 cm) and minimum intensity of early blight (27.27%); cluster IV recorded maximum fruit diameter (5.17cm) and average fruit weight (81.33 g); cluster V recorded maximum marketable fruit yield (3.73 kg/plot) and total fruit yield (5.27 kg/plot), pericarp thickness (6.75 mm), pH (4.43) and minimum number of seeds per fruit (62.45); cluster VI gave maximum fruit length (6.91cm), total soluble solids (4.340B), lycopene (3.85mg) and ascorbic acid (26.07mg).