Inheritance pattern of some qualitative fruit traits in brinjal (Solanum melongena L.)

Abstract

It is important to obtain information regarding genetics of some important qualitative fruit traits (fruit shape, bearing habit and colour) to develop a breeding strategy to accelerate the pace of genetic improvement of such economically important characters in brinjal. Inheritance pattern of fruit shape, bearing habit and colour was studied in six genetic populations (P₁, P₂, F₁, F₂, BC₁P₁, BC₂P₂) generated from three crosses (Utkal Anushree × Bidhan Suphala; Utkal Anushree × Garia and Utkal Madhuri × Bidhan Super) involving parents bearing different fruit colour, bearing habit and shape. The inheritance pattern affecting the expression of a particular qualitative trait varied in different crosses. Monogenic inheritance with oblong/medium-long fruit dominant over oval/round fruit was involved in three crosses. However, the involvement of both major and minor genes in the expression of length and breadth of the fruit cannot be neglected. Fruit bearing habit segregation of three crosses indicated solitary fruit bearing habit was dominant over cluster bearing habit and was controlled by a single dominant gene. The inheritance pattern of fruit colour in brinjal was rather complicated and conditioned either by monogenic dominant or dominant epistatic action with supplementary effects, where the genes responsible for purple and green colour display incomplete dominance that led to a reduction in the intensity of fruit colour. For the improvement of quantitative traits, specific parental genotypes can be crossed and selections can be practiced for the desired genotypes.