Six promising tomato hybrids selected from a pool of 60 F1 hybrids were evaluated for seven traits, along with the check hybrid (TH-1) at two locations falling under different agro-climatic zones of Punjab, India. G × E interaction was significant for early yield, fruit weight and total fruit yield, whereas, it was non-significant for fruit number, locule number, pericarp thickness and vine length. Overall higher mean-early-yield, fruit number, fruit weight and total yield at Ludhiana, rather than at Bathinda, may be due to higher organic carbon, available phosphorus and available potash and low electrical conductivity of the experimental soil at Ludhiana. Pooled analysis showed that hybrid TH-21 had the maximum early-yield (3.73 tha-1), fruit weight (72.7 g) and locule number (2.65), whereas, TH-23 had the highest fruit number per vine (53.7) and total fruit yield (51.2 tha-1). The magnitude of pooled standard heterosis was maximum for vine length (140.7%), followed by early yield (114.8%), total yield (88.3%), fruit number (49.7%), fruit weight (27.6%), pericarp thickness (16.4%) and locule number (-21.6%). On the basis of stability and superiority for fruit weight, fruit number, early and total yield, TH-21 was found to be the most promising hybrid, followed by TH-23.

Non-availability of genetic male sterility (GMS) in genetically diverse genotypes and the problem of rouging fertile plants in hybrid plot necessitated the development and testing of new F1 hybrids of chili pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) using cytoplasmic-genetic male sterility (CGMS) system and identifying good combiner inbred lines for transferring male sterility system in to them. Twelve inbred lines including a CGMS and a GMS line were crossed in a half-diallel fashion following Griffing’s method II and model 1 (fixed effect). All 78 genotypes were evaluated for eight quality traits for two consecutive years at Ludhiana, India. Pooled analysis revealed that variances for parent × year were non-significant for all traits except capsaicin in oleoresin and coloring matter in oleoresin, whereas variances attributable to hybrid × year and parent vs. hybrid × year were significant for all traits except dry matter content and oleoresin content. Both GCA × Y and SCA × Y interactions were significant for all traits except dry matter content. The GMS line was a good combiner for six traits and the CGMS line for only one trait. Better parent heterosis of high magnitude was detected for powder yield (275%) and oleoresin yield (309%). The hybrids having high powder yield coupled with high dry matter content and those having low pungency in oleoresin were identified. We recommend that male sterility system be transferred into a few good combiner lines for cost-effective hybrid seed production and for broadening the genetic base of male sterile lines.

Eleven elite genotypes of chilli along with one check (Punjab Surkh) were evaluated at two diverse locations of Punjab, India. The G × E interaction was significant for red ripe fruit yield, fruit width and fruit weight and genotype Acc-33-1 was the most stable across locations. The pooled analysis showed that the genotype, SD 463 had the maximum red ripe fruit yield (0.586 kg plant-1) and fruit weight (4.1 g); Mehma Sarja had the highest plant height (93.5 cm) and fruit width (13.4 mm); Selection 7 exhibited the lowest plant height (37.6 cm) and fruit width (7.0 mm); PC-6-1 had the longest fruits (8.6 cm); DCL 524 possessed maximum number of seeds fruit-1 (43.5); Selection 36-1 produced the maximum seed weight (0.211 g fruit-1). The low broad sense heritability (h2) for number of seeds fruit-1 and dried seed weight fruit-1 revealed that these traits were highly influenced by environment. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance for red ripe fruit yield, fruit weight, plant height, fruit length and fruit width indicated the important role played by additive gene effects.

Twelve genetically diverse inbred lines, including a cytoplasmic-genetic male sterile (CGMS) and a genetic male sterile (GMS) line, of hot pepper (Capsicum annuum L) were crossed in half-diallel to produce 66 F1 hybrids. The seeds of 78 genotypes were evaluated for 11 characters in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications for 2 years, viz., 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India. The pooled analysis showed that both additive and non-additive genetic variances were important in controlling the expression of all the traits, however additive variance for days to flowering, fruit length, fruit width, average fruit weight, and pericarp thickness, and non-additive variance for total fruit yield plant-1 and plant spread were comparatively more important. The GMS line MS 341 was a good general combiner for four parameters, viz., early yield, number of fruits plant-1, fruit length and number of seeds fruit-1. The CGMS line CC 141 was a good general combiner for three characters, viz., fruit length, plant height and plant spread. The inbred line SL 461 was the best general combiner for fruit length and total fruit yield plant-1, DL 161 for days to flowering and number of fruits,SD 463 for average fruit weight and pericarp thickness, PP 402 for early yield and fruit width. The combining ability of the parental lines had a nice consonance with theirperse performance. Most of the F1 hybrids have higher early and total yield, along with higher number of fruits, fruit length, plant height and plant spread, but lower pericarp thickness and fruit width. The magnitude of heterobeltiosis varied from -35.77 to 5.00% for days to flowering, -64.94 to 238.48% for early yield, -79.30 to 205.95% for number of fruits plant-I, -4.72 to 39.64% for fruit length, -20.60 to 10.41% for fruit width, -28.65 to 57.52% for average fruit weight, -37.98 to 14.39 for pericarp thickness, -80.70 to 89.94% for number of seeds fruit-1, -1.80 to 32.21% for plant height, -13.77 to 20.66% for plant spread, and -71.82 to 331.11% for total fruit yield plant-I. The study offers the opportunity of transferring male sterility in to good combiner lines, viz., SD 463, SL 461, US 501, PP 402 and DL 161, and evaluating the top 10 hybrids, exhibiting more than 100% heterobeltiosis for total fruit yield plant-1 along with high specific combining ability and per se performance, over multi-locations to test their stability. 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Two hundred tomato germplasm lines were screened following conventional (sick plot and artificial inoculations in pots) and molecular marker techniques to identify resistant sources. PNR-7 and Punjab Upma were used as resistant and susceptible checks, respectively. Seven lines viz. Hisar Lal, EC631955, EC631956, EC631957, EC119197, 8-2-1-2-5 and 1-6-1-4 were found to possess high degree of resistance and two lines viz. EC 531804 and PAU Acc.-1 were found resistant through conventional screening. The resistant lines along with some hybrid combinations involving resistant x susceptible parents were then screened using SCAR marker Mi23, linked to the RKN resistant gene Mi-1. The lines Hisar Lal, EC631955, EC631956, EC631957, EC119197, EC531804, PAU Acc-1, 8-2-1-2-5 and 1-6-1-4 amplified the expected product size of ∼380bp linked to the Mi locus conferring resistance to RKN. Punjab Upma, the susceptible check along with two susceptible test lines generated the ∼420bp band showing absence of Mi locus. The hybrids 8-2-1-2-5 x Punjab Upma, Hisar Lal x Punjab Upma, EC119197x Punjab Upma and Hisar Lal x CR2P-8-6 generated both the bands and were, therefore, heterozygous for the resistant locus (Mi-1/mi-1).

The present investigations were conducted on 11 tomato genotypes grown under net house and in open field conditions in randomized block design at research farm of Department of Vegetable Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana in 2008–09. It was found that the genotypes CLN-146-B and Sel-2-1 were superior in terms of yield and quality traits under net house as compared to the open field conditions. These genotypes exhibited the potential to be exploited at the commercial level.

Sixty F 1 hybrids of tomato developed by crossing 15 normally ripening lines with 4 mutant homozygotes were evaluated along with a standard check (TH-1) for 14 traits in two seasons to ascertain the extent of standard heterosis and to identify a few promising cross-combinations. Significant and desirable standard heterosis was observed for all the traits in both main and late- season. Not even a single hybrid exhibited significant and negative standard heterosis in any environment for total yield per plant, marketable yield per plant, average fruit weight and shelf-life index. The standard heterosis up to 165.88 and 239.13% for total yield, 174.60 and 302.16% for marketable yield, 102.28 and 195.96% for number of fruits, 101.77 and 78.24% for average fruit weight, -43.33 and -33.67% for firmness index, 50.15 and 105.99% for number of locules, 71.51 and 126.47% for pericarp thickness, 29.69 and 38.97% for alcohol insoluble solids, 30.71 and 40.15% for lycopene, 70.61 and 33.84% for dry matter, 52.63 and 38.78% for total soluble solids, 40.98 and 45.10% for titratable acidity, 17.95 and 8.04% for ascorbic acid, 77.78 and 77.78% for shelf life was observed in main and late-season, respectively. The promising cross-combinations were Castle Rock x nor -RM-1, IPA-3 x nor -RM-1, Nemadoro x nor -RM-1 and UC-82-B x nor -RM-1 in main-season and LT-44 x alc -IIHR-2050, LT-42 x rin -RM-2, Punjab Upma x nor -RM-1, IPA-3 x nor -RM-1 and LT-44 x rin -RM-2 in late-season.

Nine promising F1 hybrids of chilli developed using genetic male sterile line MS-12 along with four check hybrids (CH-1, CH-3, Soldier, Rudra) were evaluated during 2010–11 for seven traits at two diverse locations of Punjab. The G × E interaction was significant for fruit length, fruit weight, number of seeds fruit−1 and red ripe fruit yield. The pooled analysis showed that the hybrid CH-29 had maximum red ripe fruit yield (0.704 kg plant−1) and fruit width (12.90 mm); Rudra had the highest plant height (90.1 cm), fruit length (6.44 cm), lowest number of seeds fruit−1 (10.7) and seed weight (0.057 g fruit−1); CH-23 possessed maximum number of seeds (53.8) fruit−1 and seed weight (0.289 g fruit−1); CH-21 had the heaviest fruits (3.00 g). The significant values of standard heterosis varied from -34.22 (over Rudra) to 21.24% (over CH-3) for plant height, -24.21 (over Rudra) to 27.47% (over CH-1) for fruit length, -9.59 (over Rudra) to 29.43% (over Soldier) for fruit width, -30.25 (over Rudra) to 43.77% (over CH-1) for fruit weight, -31.71 (over CH-1) to 400.77% (over Rudra) for number of seeds fruit−1, -51.30 (over CH-1) to 406.32% (over Rudra) for seed weight fruit−1 and 29.07 (over Rudra) to 65.94% (over CH-1) for red ripe fruit yield plant−1.

Tomato is one of the most important vegetable crops cultivated all over the world for table and processing purposes. In many parts of the world including North Indian plains, its fruit harvest duration is short and a period of glut and low prices is followed by scarcity and high prices in the market. The dearth of processing facilities raises the demand for cultivars having extended shelf-life so that the fruits can be transported to distant markets or stored to exploit local markets. A few mutant genes that interfere with normal tomato ripening are slow ripening alcobaca (alc), ripening inhibitor (rin) and non-ripening (nor). These genes in homozygous form considerably extend the shelf-life of tomato fruits but develop poor colour and inferior flavour. This monograph provides insights in to the development and identification of F1 hybrids, heterozygous for rin, nor and alc alleles having high yield, superior flavour, better shelf-life and extended harvest duration, and offer the possibility of their commercial cultivation. This book should be especially useful to tomato breeders across the world who are interested in genetic improvement of tomato for shelf-life, yield and quality.

The present investigation was carried in tomato using ten lines, 45 crosses and hybrid check TH-1 grown in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Analysis of variance for combining ability revealed that mean squares due to general and specific combining ability were highly significant for all the characters studied. Parents Acc. No.4, Acc. No.9, Acc. No.5 and Acc. No.1 were best general combiners for most of the traits. Genotypes Acc. No.4, Acc. No.9 and Acc. No.5 also had high degree of root knot nematode resistance. The crosses Acc. No.2 x Acc. No.8, Acc. No.2 x Acc. No.5 and Acc. No.7 x Acc. No.10 were best specific combiner for fruit weight, total yield, root knot nematode, dry matter, lycopene content, titrable acidity and TSS. Heterosis was observed for almost all the characters. The best performing crosses were Acc. No.2 x Acc. No.3 for total yield, number of fruit per plant, fruit weight, harvesting span, titrable acidity and lycopene content and Acc. No.2 x Acc. No.5 for total yield, number of fruit per plant, harvesting span, TSS, titrable acidity and lycopene content. Acc. No.2 x Acc. No.8 for total yield, number of fruit per plant, titratable acidity, dry matter and lycopene content and Acc. No.6 x Acc. No.10 for total yield, number of fruit per plant, TSS, dry matter and lycopene content. All these crosses also expressed maximum heterosis over respective better parent for these traits. The combination Acc. No.1 x Acc. No.9 and Acc. No.4 x Acc. No.6 had maximum fruit yield of 2.97 kg and 2.93 kg per plant and it showed 63.19 and 85.44 per cent increase over better parent, 67.80 and 65.54 per cent respectively increase over the standard check, TH-1 and also showed resistant reaction against root knot nematodes.

The present investigations were conducted at the vegetable research farm and biochemistry laboratory of Department of Vegetable Crops, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. Twenty six hybrids of tomato along with Check Naveen were obtained from public and private sectors and grown under net house and open field conditions. These twenty six hybrids of tomato were evaluated for fifteen characters. The analysis of variance showed that genotypes are significantly different in treatments for all character in both the environments except average fruit weight is significantly different in replications in both environments. The observation recorded for hybrids showed that To ind Hyb/3, TH-12, G-600 were found maximum yielding genotypes under net house. These genotypes yields more because of maximum no. of fruits/plant were found in these genotypes. It was also observed that genotypes under net house yields more as comparison to open field conditions because of early yield and more number of pickings. The observation recorded for biochemical analysis showed that maximum lycopene content was found in hybrid G-600, in both environments. Maximum fruit acidity was found in hybrid ARTH-128 and TH-13 in net house & in TH-23 in open field conditions. Maximum TSS content was recorded in G-600 in net house and Naveen recorded maximum in open field condition. Under net house genotypes performed better than open field condition for yield and biochemical traits because of favourable conditions for proper growth was available under net house.

Major insect, mite and nematode pests on cucumber, sweet pepper and tomato grown under net house were monitored in Punjab, India during 2008-09. The red spider mite (Tetranychus urticae Koch) was the predominant pest of cucumber. Leaf miner (Liriomyza trifolii Burgess) incidence was considerably low, and whitefly (Bemisia tabaci Gennadius) was noticed only during the early season. Thrips (Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood) and broad mite (Polyphagotarsonemus latus Banks) were serious pests on sweet pepper. The aphid (Aphis gossypii Glover) was the only insect found on tomato during early crop stages. The incidence of aphid was very low and whitefly was negligible. Tobacco caterpillar (Spodoptera litura Fabricius) damage was around 5 per cent on cucumber and tomato, and 23.75 per cent on sweet pepper during the later growth stages. The root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid & White) Chitwood) population was not recorded at the time of transplanting in most net houses, but gradually increased over the growing season in all the three crops. In general, farmers applied prophylactic insecticide sprays to manage sucking insect pests in net houses.

Fruit set in tomato is reduced markedly, when average maximum day and night temperatures go above 32 C and 21 degrees C, respectively. In North-Western plains of India, if the tomato crop is transplanted in March, flowering and fruit set period coincides with high day (similar to 37 degrees C) and night temperatures (similar to 25 degrees C), which markedly reduces fruit yield and quality. Therefore, the present study was carried out to identify the heterotic hybrids in tomato, tolerant to heat stress conditions. The 66 F-1 hybrids showed useful heterosis for almost all characters studied. Based on per se performance and heterosis estimates under high temperature condition, the best performing cross is LST-36-1 x LST-35-1 (P-6 x P-7) for maximum fruit firmness; LST-37-1 x LST-36-1 (P-5 x P-6) for maximum Endosperm Utilization Efficiency (EUE) and the cross combination, LST-6 x CLN 5915-206 (P-8 x P-11) for maximum total fruit yield. The hybrid, P-8 X P-11 had fruit yield of 1.17 kg per plant and it showed 193.3 per cent increase over better parent and 291.11 per cent increase over standard check TH-1.

Occurrence, detection and molecular characterization of leaf curl virus infecting tomato, both under open and net house conditions were studied at the Research Farm of the Department of Vegetable Crops, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India. The samples were tested for the presence of begomovirus using universal primers. Out of 42 samples studied, 20 samples were found to be positive for the begomovirus. Further, the positive samples were subjected to begomovirus identification using begomovirus specific primers, reported from India. Among them Tomato leaf curl Palampur virus (ToLCPMV) was the most prevalent virus (18 samples) followed by Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV) (11 samples), while, mix infection of ToLCNDV and ToLCPMV was found in a significant number of samples (9 samples). For core coat protein gene amplification, out of 20 samples, only 8 samples were able to amplify the desired product size (similar to 870 bp). For the satellite DNA (DNA beta), only 7 samples showed desired amplification (similar to 1.35 kb), of which, 5 samples were having mix infection of ToLCPMV and ToLCNDV. This further proves association of DNA beta with bipartite begomoviruses, causing leaf curl disease in tomato.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is the most important horticultural crop worldwide. High temperature causes significant losses in tomato production due to reduced fruit set and lower quality fruits. A few pleiotropic, single gene ripening mutants such as slow-ripening alcobaca (alc), ripening inhibitor (rin), and non-ripening (nor) have been reported in tomato. The F1 hybrids involving these mutants have in the past been shown to extend shelf life, fruit availability period, increase yield under ideal and high temperature stress conditions but there was no report regarding their quality attributes under high temperature conditions. Therefore in the present study, 60 F1 hybrids were developed by crossing 15 normally ripening lines with four mutant homozygotes. These hybrids along with their 19 parents were evaluated under high temperature conditions for 10 quality parameters, viz., fruit firmness, number of locules, pericarp thickness, alcohol insoluble solids (AIS), lycopene, dry matter, total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity, TSS/acid ratio, and ascorbic acid. The mutant homozygotes showed comparatively higher fruit firmness, pericarp thickness and AIS and lower lycopene content than normal ripening lines. The mid-parent heterosis varied from −19.60 to 87.18% for fruit firmness index, −34.12 to 33.95% for number of locules, −33.60 to 32.93% for pericarp thickness, −39.52 to 36.33% for AIS, 20.74–134.69% for lycopene, −31.21 to 31.65% for dry matter, −30.43 to 76.62% for TSS, −48.21 to 82.86% for titratable acidity, −48.39 to 64.98% for TSS/Acid ratio and −36.96 to 79.83% for ascorbic acid. All the 60 hybrids had significantly higher lycopene content than their respective mid-parental values whereas for other traits hybrids exhibited average heterosis in both the directions. Overall the fruits of F1 hybrids incorporating rin, nor and alc alleles had very good quality attributes, viz., colour, texture, taste and nutritional quality under high temperature conditions. The utilization of these ripening mutants open up new avenues for the development of potential hybrids capable of producing economic yield of good quality even under high temperature conditions.

Autumn season crop of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) sown in July in North India fails due to severity of leaf curl virus. Newly developed genetic stocks (14) with variable fruit size and resistance to leaf curl virus were crossed in a diallel mating design and the resulting 91 F1 hybrids were evaluated to study genetics of fruit weight and total yield and to identify promising hybrids for cultivation under leaf curl virus infestation conditions. Combining ability and components of variation analyses revealed presence of both additive and non-additive gene effects in the inheritance of both the characters. Six parents were observed to be good general combiners for both fruit weight and total yield. Of the 91 F1 hybrids evaluated, 18 and 17 showed positive specific combining ability (SCA) effects for fruit weight and total yield, respectively. Six hybrids had good SCA effects for both the characters. Of the five hybrids with significantly positive yield heterosis over their respective better parents, three namely 58-18-1-1 x 56-4-6-1, 56-14-6 x 56-12-7-1 and 54-26-1-1 x 57-9-6-1 with high total mean yield and appropriate fruit size have the potential to be commercially cultivated under severe leaf curl virus infested conditions. Two crosses namely 54-26-1-1 x 57-9-6-1 and 58-11-1-1 x 56-12-7-1 have been identified to be pursued further to recover high yielding true breeding lines.

Thirty genetic stocks of tomato (Solatium lycopersicum L.) were subjected to genetic diversity analysis and DNA fingerprinting using SSR markers. The stocks included male sterile lines (both pollen abortive and functional types); non-ripening mutants; disease (leaf curl virus, lateblight and early blight) and nematode resistant lines; temperature stress (both low and high); and salt tolerant lines. Of the 25 primers used, 21 showed polymorphism and amplified 60 alleles with an average of 2.86 alleles per locus. Of these alleles, 21 were polymorphic and the rest were monomorphic. The PIC values for 21 primers obtained varied from 0.06 for SSR128 to 0.68 for SSR565, with an average PIC value to be 0.43. The greater number of repeat units and longer SSRs tend to have higher PIC values. Based on the PIC values and number of alleles amplified, the primer SSR565 was found to be more informative in the present set of genotypes. Similarity coefficient between any two genotypes estimated based on DNA amplification by SSR primers varied from 0.18 to 0.94. The lowest similarity coefficient (0.18) observed between genotypes belonging to the cultivated species lycopersicum and the wild species pimpinellifolium confirmed their differentiation at the species level. Manyof the cultivated types were found to have fairly narrow genetic base. UPGMA revealed that SSR markers were helpful in differentiating the genotypes on the basis of horticultural and genetic factors. However, grouping of the 30 genetic stocks was independent of their geographic distribution. Based on the DNA fingerprints, it was possibleto differentiate 23 of the 30 genotypes screened.

Tomato cultivation, especially during autumn in north India and during summer in south India is adversely affected due to the high incidence of tomato leaf curl virus (ToLCV) disease. Eleven accessions of tomato (TY 52, CLN 2498E, CA4, C-L-7, CA-L-29, CA-L-50, AN-L-62, 58-11-1-1 and 56-14-7), including two susceptible checks ('Punjab Upma' and 'Punjab Chhuhara') were evaluated in autumn season (July-December, 2009) against tomato leaf curl virus disease under natural epiphytotic conditions. Disease reaction of each genotype was assigned. Lines TY 52, CA 4, C-L-7, AN-L-62, 58-11-1-1 and 56-14-7, did not show any disease symptoms, whereas, 100% disease incidence was recorded on both the susceptible checks. The resistant/tolerant lines were further challenged by viruliferous whiteflies (40-50 whiteflies/plant) under controlled conditions. Each line showed varying reaction, from mild to severe for leaf curl disease. The lines CA 4 and 58-11-1-1 showed very mild symptoms of leaf curl virus disease, whereas, the lines 56-14-7, CLN 2498E, TY 52 and AN-L-62 showed moderate symptoms. The lines C-L-7, CA-L-29, CA-L-50, 'Punjab Upma' and 'Punjab Chhuhara' showed very severe symptoms of leaf curling. Therefore, the lines CA 4 and 58-11-1-1 were identified as important genetic stocks for the development of tomato leaf curl virus resistant/tolerant cultivars in north India.