MAGIC (Multi parent advanced generation inter cross) breeding programme is the key to improve the traits like plant height in self pollinated crops like tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Present investigation was planned to find the variability for plant height traits in MAGIC F2 and F3 populations. Using the observed variability present in the tomato MAGIC F2 population, the selection was done for the plant height trait. The mean value observed for plant height was 117.60 cm with a range of 38.00 cm to 181.00 cm in MAGIC F2 population. The trait followed normal distribution indicating the variability of a segregating population. And in MAGIC F3 population wide range of variation was observed for plant height as the mean values for each accession ranged from 37.40 cm to 181.60 cm with grand mean 110.09 cm. The effectiveness of selection for these characters was estimated in F3 generation and then compared with F2 generation thus found the expected response to the selection. This indicates the effectiveness of selecting plant height characters in early segregating generations.

MAGIC, Variability, Tomato, Plant height, F2 and F3 generation

The parent, EC-538380 contributed to the indeterminate plant growth habit and the parent H-24 contributed to the determinate plant growth. Most of the MAGIC F2 and F3 individuals expressed the phenotype of indeterminate growth. A wide variability for the trait, plant height was observed in the both MAGIC F2 and F3 populations and followed a normal distribution. This investigation suggested that the selection for the plant height trait can be made in the early segregating generation, keeping aside the major quantitative characters as yield for selection in later generation.

Nayana R.S. and B. Fakrudin (2022). Effect of Selection Response on F2 and F3 Generation for Plant Height Character in Tomato MAGIC Population. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 14(4a): 559-563.