Genetic variability studies in F2 and F3 generations of ridge gourd for yield and yield components [Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb.]

Ridge gourd ( Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb.) is the fruit of a sub-tropical vine that belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family and is native to central and eastern Asia, including the Indian subcontinent. In this study, four crosses of ridge gourd were evaluated in the F­ 2 generation and two crosses were advanced to F 3 segregating generation for investigating the variability, heritability and genetic advance of ridge gourd. Among the crosses studied, L 3 xT 1 (Virudhunagar Local x Periyakottai Local) and L 3 xT 2 (Virudhunagar Local x Alathur  Local) , exhibited superior per se performance in both F 2 and F 3 generations for almost all the yield contributing characters. The F­ 2 and F 3 populations of cross L 3 xT 1 and L 3 xT 2 showed moderate to high PCV, GCV coupled with high heritability estimates and high genetic advance as percentage of mean for node to first male flower, node to first female flower, sex ratio, number of fruits per vine, fruit length, fruit diameter, rind thickness, flesh thickness, number of seeds per fruit and fruit yield per vine.