Genotype × Environment Interaction of Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) Genotypes for Phytochemical and Agronomic Traits

Abstract

Twenty-one brinjal hybrids along with their seven parents and one hybrid check were evaluated in three seasons, viz., autumn-winter, rainy and summer for the study of genotype x environment interaction for different traits and identification of the stable genotypes. Stability analysis revealed that the variance due to genotypes was highly significant for all the characters studied when tested against pooled deviations except days to 50% flowering and days to 1st harvest. Likewise, variance due to E + (G × E) was highly significant for all characters but significant for days to 1st harvest. The genotypes × environments (linear) component for days to 50% flowering and days to 1st harvest were non-significant when tested against pooled deviation which suggested the preponderance of non-linear component as compared to linear component for both these characters. Rajendra Baigan-2 x BRBL-02, Rajendra Baigan-2 x BRBL-01, Rajendra Baigan-2 x BRBL-04, Muktakeshi x BRBL-01, Muktakeshi x BRBL-04, BRBL-02 x BRBL-04, Swarna Mani x BRBL-01, BRBR-01 x BRBL-01 and BRBR-01 x BRBL-04 were identified as stable hybrids and BRBL-01 and BRBL-04 were stable parents in terms of yield/ plant. BRBL-02 x BRBL-04 was stable in terms of total sugar content, total anthocyanin content and total phenolics content. These genotypes may be utilized for planting throughout the year with good performance and utilized in breeding programmes for developing stable genotypes.

Phenotypic Stability for Fruit yield and its Components of Brinjal

“…The linear contribution of the environmental effects on the performance of genotypes was significant for all the traits under study. Significant differences due to G×E (linear) indicated that different genotypes differ genetically in their response to different environments except for days to first flowering and days to last fruit harvest which is in accordance with the observations of Kumar et al, 2017 andKumari et al, 2020 in brinjal. The mean sum of squares for pooled deviation was significant for five characters except days to first flowering, number of marketable fruits per plant and fruit and shoot borer infestation on fruits indicating that the deviation from linear regression contributed substantially towards the difference in stability of genotypes.…”

“…It also has Ayurvedic properties. The fruits are excellent remedies for those suffering from lever troubles (Kumari et al, 2020). Extracts of brinjal are known to have significant effect in reducing blood and liver cholesterol rates (Karak et al, 2012, Dhakre and Bhattacharya, 2013, Taher et al, 2017, Kumar et al, 2018.…”

“…In order to identify stable genotypes, the genotype by environment interactions must be partitioned into stability statistics that are assignable to each genotype evaluated across a range of environments. Stability indices have allowed researchers to identify widely adapted genotypes for use in breeding programmes (Chaurasia et al, 2005, Dhakre and Bhattacharya, 2013, Dia et al, 2016, Raghavendra et al, 2017a, Kumar et al, 2017, Koundinya et al, 2019, Kumari et al, 2020, Khankahdani et al, 2021.…”