Evaluation Of Genetic Diversity In Garden Egg (Solanum Aethiopicum) Germplasm In Ghana

ABSTRACT Analysis of genetic relationships among accessions is a prerequisite to any viable genetic improvement. The main objective of the study was to determine the genetic variation among 20 garden egg accessions in Ghana based on morphological traits as well as calcium and iron content of fruits. Twenty garden eggs accessions were studied in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. There was large variability between and among accessions. The fruit length: diameter ratio, number of fruits per plant, weight per fruit, calcium and iron content recorded a higher genetic and phenotypic coefficient of variation and genetic advance. However, high heritability was recorded for days to first flowering, days to 50% flowering, fruit length, yield, calcium and iron content. Phenotypic correlation coefficients between yield and other traits showed significant estimates only for days to flowering and canopy span, the former being negative and the latter positive. The calcium and iron content of fruit was negatively correlated. The first PCA accounted for 35.6% of the total variation and was dominated by leaves per plant and fruits per plant. The second PCA contained 20.7% of the total variation and was also dominated by yield and fruit size (weight per fruit and fruit diameter). The third PCA was dominated by days to flowering and plant height and contained 14% of the total variation. For all the traits evaluated, A8 and A10 were high yielding, short, had broad canopy span, matured early, had high number of leaves, branches and fruits though quite dissimilar to each other in the cluster diagram.