Genotype-Environment Interaction for Quality Traits in Tomato Hybrids

Breeding for quality traits in tomato has got boost due to enormous consumer and industrial demand owing to its exceptional nutritional benefits and attributes required for processing industries. Newly evolved varieties/hybrids need recommendation based on their adaptive specificity as a consequence of genotype-environment interaction. Hence, present study analysed comparative stability of 30 hybrids of tomato along with one check hybrid (To 3150) for important quality traits viz., total soluble solids (TSS), titrable acidity, ascorbic acid, carotene and lycopene content based on data of three locations over two years. The identified stable hybrids were Columbia × EC 538380, H 86 × EC 620541 and EC 620541 × EC 620438) for TSS, Superbug × EC 620438 for titrable acidity, Columbia × EC 620438 for ascorbic acid and NDTVR 73 × EC 620541 for carotene content. None of the hybrids was found stable for lycopene content. Stability for one trait was independent of stability of other traits. The responsive hybrids were Columbia × BS 24–2 (for TSS and carotene content), EC 521087 × EC 538380 (for ascorbic acid and carotene content), EC 620438 × EC 538380 (for ascorbic acid, carotene and lycopene content). The environments of Varanasi during both the years had favourable effect on all quality traits except carotene content as evident from environmental indices. The hybrids identified as stable are broad-adapted and can be recommended for general cultivation under different locations while the hybrids identified as responsive can be recommended for specific environments only.