Study of Heritability and Genetic Variability among Different Plant and Fruit Characters of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicon L.)

Heritability, genetic advance, genetic advanced as percentage over mean and genetic variability among different plant and fruit characters of thirty tomato genotypes were studied at Hudeiba Research Station (ARC) during the winter of 2007- 08. Analysis of variance showed significant variation among the genotypes for all tested characters. Fruit weight showed the highest genotypic and phenotypic variance (1642.9 and 1779.1) whereas fruit yield per plant showed the lowest ones (0.17 and 0.39). High genotypic variance was observed for most of the characters indicating more contribution of genetic component for the total variation. Genotypic coefficients of variations (GCV) and phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) were highest for fruit weight (0.4885 and 0.4905) whereas the lowest ones were for days to 50% flowering (0.0552 and 0.0665). Higher GCV and PVC were recorded for most of the characters indicating higher magnitude of variability for these characters. The highest heritability was recorded on plant height (97%), while the lowest was for fruit yield per plant (43%). High heritability (broad senses) estimates were observed for all the tested characters indicating that these characters are controlled by additive genes action which is very useful in selection. Key words: Tomato, genotypic variance, phenotypic variance, genotypic coefficient of variation, phenotypic coefficient of variation, heritability, genetic advance