Studies on Variability, Heritability and Genetic Advance for Yield and Component Characters in Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill)

The estimates of heritability, genetic advance, phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation among yield and its component characters in 186 genotypes of tomatoes were worked out at Vegetable Research Farm, Punjab Agricultural University, during 1994 & 95. A high degree of variation was observed for all the characters studied. Number of fruits per plant, total yield per plant and marketable yield per plant had low or moderate estimates of percentage phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation, heritability and genetic advance, hence they may not respond to selection. However, total number of fruits per plant and number of marketable fruits per plant had high estimates, therefore the selection based on phenologic values will be instrumental for affecting improvement in these characters.