G × E Interaction and Heterosis in Elite Tomato Hybrids for Growth, Earliness and Fruit Parameters in Diverse Agro-Climatic Zones of Punjab

Abstract

Six promising tomato hybrids selected from a pool of 60 F1 hybrids were evaluated for seven traits, along with the check hybrid (TH-1) at two locations falling under different agro-climatic zones of Punjab, India. G × E interaction was significant for early yield, fruit weight and total fruit yield, whereas, it was non-significant for fruit number, locule number, pericarp thickness and vine length. Overall higher mean-early-yield, fruit number, fruit weight and total yield at Ludhiana, rather than at Bathinda, may be due to higher organic carbon, available phosphorus and available potash and low electrical conductivity of the experimental soil at Ludhiana. Pooled analysis showed that hybrid TH-21 had the maximum early-yield (3.73 tha-1), fruit weight (72.7 g) and locule number (2.65), whereas, TH-23 had the highest fruit number per vine (53.7) and total fruit yield (51.2 tha^-1). The magnitude of pooled standard heterosis was maximum for vine length (140.7%), followed by early yield (114.8%), total yield (88.3%), fruit number (49.7%), fruit weight (27.6%), pericarp thickness (16.4%) and locule number (-21.6%). On the basis of stability and superiority for fruit weight, fruit number, early and total yield, TH-21 was found to be the most promising hybrid, followed by TH-23.