~ 174 ~ The Pharma Innovation Journal 2021; 10(3): 174-178 ISSN (E): 2277- 7695 ISSN (P): 2349-8242 NAAS Rating: 5.03 TPI 2021; 10(3): 174-178 © 2021 TPI www.thepharmajournal.com Received: 02-01-2021 Accepted: 17-02-2021 Chinthan KN M.Sc. (Hort.), Research Scholar, Department of Vegetable Science, KRC College of Horticulture, Arabhavi, Karnataka, India Vijayakumar Rathod Assistant Professor, Department of Vegetable Science, KRC College of Horticulture, Arabhavi, Karnataka, India CN Hanchinamani Professor and Head, Department of Vegetable Science, College of Horticulture, Bangalore, Karnataka, India Sandhyarani Nishani Assistant Professor and Head, Department of Biotechnology and Crop improvement, KRC College of Horticulture, Arabhavi, Karnataka, India Dileepkumar AM Assistant Professor, Department of Seed Science and Technology, KRC College of Horticulture, Arabhavi, Karnataka, India Amruta S Bhat Assistant Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Horticulture, Bangalore, Karnataka, India Corresponding Author: Chinthan KN M.Sc. (Hort.), Research Scholar, Department of Vegetable Science, KRC College of Horticulture, Arabhavi, Karnataka, India Studies on genetic variability among local landraces of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) for yield attributing traits under northern dry zone of Karnataka Chinthan KN, Vijayakumar Rathod, CN Hanchinamani, Sandhyarani Nishani, Dileepkumar AM and Amruta S Bhat Abstract An appreciable level of variation within crop varieties is essential to initiate and sustain crop improvement using plant breeding methods. A study was conducted to evaluate the Local germplasm lines of bitter gourd for yield and yield attributing traits between June 2019 to September 2019. The twenty-five cultivars collected from different agro-climatic regions of India constituted the treatment, which was lied out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with two replicates. Eighteen yield and yield attributing characters were studies and analysis of variance revealed that there were significant differences among the genotypes studied for all the characters. Among the twenty-five germplasm Ludhiana Local was identified as the best genotypes as it recorded higher yield per plant followed by Preethi, Kerala Local, Vizag Local and Faizabad Local. Maximum phenotypic and genotypic coefficient of variation (PCV and GCV) was recorded for total yield per plant, number of fruits per plant, average fruit weight, fruit length. High heritability was observed for all the characters. High estimates of heritability linked with a high genetic advance as a percentage of the mean were recorded for sex ratio, internodal length, leaf area, average fruit weight, fruit length, number of fruits per plant, fruit diameter. These results are suggestive that the cultivars evaluated in this study are good candidates on which improvement activates can be initiated the incorporation of high grain yield traits would also have a long run advantage. Keywords: Variability, heritability, genetic advance, bitter gourd Introduction Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) is one of the most important cucurbitaceous crop belongs to the family cucurbitaceae with 2n= 2x=22. It is a large genus with many annual and perennial climber species. Because of their monoecious nature, bitter gourd is a highly cross pollinated. Used as roasted, curried, stuffed or sliced and fried, bitter gourd can also be pickled, canned and dehydrated and rich in medicinal properties such as purgative, carminative and anti-diabetic, etc. (Singh et al., 2016) [14] . The fruit acts as an anthelmintic, stomachic, laxative and ant bilious. It is in addition, a tonic fruit used for rheumatism, gout and diabetes as well. In abortion, haemorrhoids and even in biliaesness a decoction of the root extract is helpful (Khulakpam et al., 2015) [6] . The fruit yield is the main factor for determining improvement of a crop. Similarly yield in bitter gourd, is a quantitative trait that highly influenced by other yield related parameters. The selection of desirable types should be based on yield as well as on other yield attributing traits. The information on mutual association between yield and yield related attributing traits is very vital for efficient utilization of available genetic stock in crop improvement programme of bitter gourd. Yield in bitter gourd is a complex trait which influenced by several traits like, number of primary branches per vine, number of nodes per vine, sex ratio, number of fruits per vine and average fruit weight is a main factor. Heritability indicates how much of phenotypic variability has a genetic origin and gives objective information for the genetic selection process. It is therefore important to obtain adequate information on the magnitude and type of genetic variability and its subsequent heritability for any proposed breeding programme aimed at improving the yield potential of crops. The role of genetic variability in a crop is of paramount importance in selecting the best genotypes for rapid yield and related character improvement and in selecting the most prospective parents to make the hybridization programme successful