Genetic analysis in bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) using modified triple test cross

Genetic analysis was carried out during 1995-96 to detect epistasis and to estimate components of genetic variation for nine quantitative traits. Eight pure lines of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) were crossed with two extreme testers. The epistasis was important for plant height, fruit length, fruit diameter, fruit weight and yield/plant analysis of variance for sums and differences were significant for all the characters indicating the importance of additive and dominant components of variation for ail the characters. The estimate of directional component F) was significant and positive for days to male flower anthesis, days to female newer anthesis, fruit length, fruits/ plant, fruit weight and yield/ plant indicating the isodirectional nature of dominance. The degree of dominance was in the range of partial dominance for most of the characters.