~ 38 ~ European Journal of Biotechnology and Bioscience 2014; 2 (5): 38-40 ISSN: 2321-9122 www.biosciencejournals.com EJBB 2014; 2 (5): 38-40 Received: 30-09-2014 Accepted: 25-10-2014 Smi Ullah Vegetable Research Institute, Ayub Agriculture Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan Usman Ijaz Vegetable Research Institute, Ayub Agriculture Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan Tahir Iqbal Shah Vegetable Research Institute, Ayub Agriculture Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan Muhammad Najeebullah Vegetable Research Institute, Ayub Agriculture Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan. Shahid Niaz Vegetable Research Institute, Ayub Agriculture Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan Correspondence: Smi Ullah Vegetable Research Institute, Ayub Agriculture Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan Association and Genetic Assessment in Brinjal Smi Ullah, Usman Ijaz, Tahir Iqbal Shah, Muhammad Najeebullah, Shahid Niaz Abstract Brinjal is an important vegetable that directly consumed as cooked form. Fifteen brinjal genotypes were sown under randomized complete block design with three replications to determine the genetic variability existed for six yield contributed traits. Environmental error seemed to be low as minor differences observed genotypic and phenotypic variance. Most of the traits showed significant correlation with the fruit yield. Cluster analysis grouped genotypes in three clusters; selection from the genotypes belong to cluster 1 showed high genetic diversity for leaf length, leaf width and fruit diameter. PC3 showed maximum diversity for fruit yield. In future, breeding for high fruit yield, genotype VRIB-1-2013 could be of better choice. Keywords: Brinjal, Association, Cluster, Principle component analysis 1. Introduction Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) is an important vegetable of central, southern and southeast Asia (Kalloo, 1988). Brinjal is poor’s man food and consumed as vegetable in every class of peoples because of its nutritive value (rich in Vitamin A and B) and low price (Lakshmi et al. 2013). In Pakistan number of brinjal cultivars are available that showed diversity in shape, color, taste and plant texture. To meet the market and consumer requirements, the strategy of the breeder is to produce not only varieties with high yield and pest resistance (especially EFSB), but also with good fruit quality that has both commercial and nutritive value. Association study between plant traits towards fruit yield are very important because, these parameters determined the future success of breeding programme (Nalini et al. 2009). To bring about a genetic improvement in any segregating population the knowledge of association between yield and yield related traits will trigger the selection efficiency (Asish et al. 2008). Principal component analysis (PCA) provided with the information about the importance of the largest contributor to total variation at each axis of differentiation (Sharma, 1998). Clustering genotypes according to their morphological and behavioral response helps breeder to drafta standing genetic variability (Hair et al. 1995). The aim of the present study to estimated genotypic and phenotypic association of plants traits towards fruit yield, their inter dependence, their direct and indirect effects. Further estimation of genetic diversity to group the genotypes of similar behavior in a single cluster. 2. Materials and Method 2.1 Plant Material Experiments were carried out on a sandy loam soil at the Vegetable Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan, situated at 31.26 N and 73.06 E, with an elevation of 184 m above sea level. Fifteen local/exotic genotypes of brinjal including two check i.e. Dilnasheen (Round) and Nirala (Long), were planted under randomized complete block design (RCBD) during 2012-13 keeping distance 50 cm × 100 cm. The plot size was 5m × 2m. All the agronomic and plant protection measures were kept uniform. At maturity, ten plant were selected randomly and plant height measured with the help of meter rod from collar to the plant tip. Twenty selected fruits from each replication subjected to varnier caliper to calculate fruit diameter. Leaf length and leaf width measured with help of meter rod. During each picking tender fruits were harvested from each replications and after ten picking plant yield per each genotype measured in tons per hectare.