Studies on genetic variability and heritability for quality traits of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) under heat stress conditions.

Abstract: Studies were conducted on 15 advance generation breeding lines of tomato, including 4 control cultivars, to study the variation and heritability of quality characteristics in tomato raised under normal and high temperature conditions (November and February, respectively). Data were recorded for total soluble solids (TSS), pericarp thickness, fruit firmness, acidity, lycopene content and dry matter content. There were significant differences among the genotypes under normal conditions, whereas differences were not significant under high temperature conditions. The population mean was higher during November than February planting for all the characters except acid content and TSS. In general, the phenotypic coefficients of variation were higher than genotypic coefficients of variation indicating that the genotypic effect is lessened under the influence of the given environment. Heritability estimates (in the broad sense) were high for all the characters for November planting except for lycopene content.