Genetic potential of papaya genotypes: insights from agronomic descriptors and parameter estimation
2025
Kumar, Mohit | Prakash, Satya | Kumar, Arvind | Singh, Bijendra | Gangwar, L K | Vaishali | Veersain | Maurya, Upendra | Singh, Rajat | Gaurav, Uday Raj
Carica papaya L., a fruit crop of high nutritional and economic importance, faces significant challenges regarding yield stability, fruit quality and environmental stress tolerance. This study explored genetic variation, heritability and trait correlations to support targeted papaya breeding programs. Through a Line × Tester mating design, 40 F1 hybrids were developed from 14 parental genotypes, revealing considerable genetic diversity. High heritability values (87.25% – 99.65%) for key traits confirmed the strong genetic influence on fruit yield, size and number of fruits per plant. Notable anticipated genetic advances, particularly for fruit yield (93.16%), emphasize the prospects for substantial improvement through selective breeding. Traits such as fruit yield per plant (45.30%), fruit weight (39.06%) and number of fruits per plant (31.46%) showed the highest genotypic and phenotypic variability. The study also highlighted the impact of environmental factors, as phenotypic coefficients of variation exceeded genotypic coefficients across traits, underlining the need for integrating ecological adaptability in breeding strategies. These results emphasize the importance of utilizing genetic diversity to enhance papaya yield and quality, meeting both domestic and global market demands. By leveraging the observed genetic potential, breeders can develop improved genotypes that align with sustainability goals, ensuring higher productivity, better market returns and enhanced food security in papaya-producing regions.
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