Heterosis for biochemical composition of fruits in egg plant (Solanum melongena L.)

The degree of heterosis was studied for biochemical quality components and yield of fruits using ten parents and their 45 hybrids. The range of mean performance of hybrids were higher than those of their parents and exhibited significant over all heterosis for dry matter, total phenols, ODH phenols, total sugars, reducing sugars, crude protein contents of fruits and fruit yield/plant. A wide range range of heterosis was observed for various characters. A positive association was observed between per se performance and degree of heterosis for all the characters studied. The frequency and magnitude of heterosis observed was more towards desired directions for ODH phenols, reducing sugars and fruit yield/plant while the frequency of heterotic hybrids over BP showed more towards undesired directions for total phenols, total sugars, crude protein and dry matter content of fruits indicating overdominance. The simultaneous improvement of yield and desired quality of fruits observed in crosses 5 × 7 (dry matter and total sugars), 3 × 10 (total phenols), 2 × 9 (ODH phenols), 6 × 8 (reducing sugars) and 3 × 6 (crude protein) indicates its usefulness in breeding programme. The hybrid Gokal Local × Pusa Bhairav (6 × 10) showed highest fruit yield/plant and desired improvement of major fruit quality components like ODH phenols, total sugars, reducing sugars and crude proteins.