Study on genetic diversity and its relation to heterosis in eggplant hybrids for green, high yielding, fruit and shoot borer as well as bacterial wilt tolerant cultivars

Green eggplants are a fantastic source of fiber, which supports healthy digestion, vitamin C, which fights off infection and reduces inflammation, and potassium, which supports healthy fluid equilibrium in the body. The study was conducted with sixty-four green-coloured eggplant hybrids along with standard hybrids viz., BARI Hybrid Begun-4 (BHB4) and Purbani Hybrid (PH) at the Olericulture Research Farm, Horticulture Research Centre, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Gazipur, Bangladesh during the winter season of 2021-22 for development of high yielding eggplant hybrids that are tolerant to fruit and shoot borer as well as bacterial wilt disease. The range of negative heterosis to first harvest was − 0.98 to -5.88% and − 0.97 to -6.80% over standard hybrids BHB4 and PH, while the range for the number of marketable fruits was − 14.69 to -67.19% and − 44.74 to 43.68%. Wide range of standard heterosis was detected among these eggplant hybrids for the fruit yield trait, with rages from − 49.09 to 34.11% and − 47.24 to 39.00%. For eggplant fruit and shoot borer (EFSB), the standard heterosis was − 169.18 to 178.75% and − 136.69 to 47.85%, while for bacterial wilt infection, the same trend was observed and was − 100.00 to 100.00% and − 100.00 to 100.00%. Nineteen green-fruited eggplant hybrids were chosen, considering the standard heterosis over BARI Hybrid Begun-4 and Purbani Hybrid. Since these green-fruited eggplant hybrids were fruit and shoot borer, bacterial wilt disease tolerant and have been found high yield potential hybrids. Therefore, these new green-fruited eggplant hybrids may be recommended to meet the nutritional security of the increasing population of Bangladesh.