GENETIC PARAMETERS AND SELECTION INDEX OF HIGH-YIELDING TOMATO F2 POPULATIONS

Abstract

Despite the increasing consumption of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum Mill.) in Indonesia, its yield capacity is lower than its demand. However, establishing high-yielding tomato varieties can overcome this. Strain in F2 populations is the first step in assembling high-yielding tomato genotypes through systematic selection, one through using a selection index. The latest study aimed to identify the genetic diversity and the effectiveness of the selection index for high-yielding F2 tomato population selection. The research took place from September to December 2021 at the Faculty of Agriculture Experimental Field, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The study used an augmented design consisting of four blocks with complete randomization. Nine experimental units were used in this study, consisting of three F2 lines plotted into four blocks with no repetition and three cultivars that repeated in each block as genotype check. The study of 15 growth parameters used analysis of variance, correlation, and path analysis. Results revealed that the selection index proved efficient in selecting the F2 generation of tomato strain populations. Almost all the characters have the highest genetic diversity and showed potential for selection criteria usage. The total number of fruits (0.52), fruit diameter (0.32), and fruit weight (0.29) showed a direct influence on yield, and can serve as selection criteria for yield. The selection criteria were formulated into a selection index, producing 75 tomato strains potentially suitable as families in the F3 generation.