Multivariate Analysis for Post Harvest Quality and Yield Attributes in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

Aim: To study the multivariate analysis, genetic parameters and correlation for post harvest quality and yield traits in tomato.

Study Design: The variability in the twenty genotypes of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) was evaluated for 18 yield attributes and post harvest quality traits using randomized block design and analyzed with multivariate methods.

Place and Duration of Study: Twenty genotypes of tomato augmented from Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Varanasi were sown during rainy season at Horticulture Research Farm of Banaras Hindu University.

Methodology: The unweighted pair group method of the average linkage (UPGMA) cluster analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to analyze the data. Canonical discriminant analysis showed the contribution of each trait to the classification of the tomato accessions into different cluster groups.

Results: The first seven principal components (PC) explained 87.83% of total variation and has eigen values >1. The traits that mainly contributed for this variation in PC1 and PC2 are fruit yield, plant height, number of flower clusters per plant, number of fruits per plant, days to first fruit set, number of fruits per cluster. High (>20%) genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) and phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was observed for number of fruits/cluster, fruit shape index, number of fruits/plant, fruit yield and shelf life. The correlation coefficients of number of primary branches/plant, days to first fruit set, number of flower clusters/plant, number of fruits/cluster, fruit width (cm), number of fruits/plant, fruit weight (g) and lycopene (mg/100 g) were positively and significantly correlated to fruit yield/plant.

Conclusion: Number of flower clusters/plant, fruit weight and number of fruits per plant had contributed for maximum variation. These traits also had high heritability, high genetic gain and significant correlation with fruit yield.