Phenotypic identity, similarity and stability for selection of tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) cultivars in South-western Nigeria

Landraces contains useful genes which can be tapped to advance breeding programmes. Their genetic potentials are only discovered when evaluated over time and space along with elite candidates. In this study, seven tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) landraces were evaluated along with Cal-J (an improved tomato variety) in a randomized complete block design for two years at the National Horticultural Crop Research Institute, Ibadan, Nigeria. The eight cultivars showed significant (P ≥ 0.05) variation in mean performances for ten quantitative traits; with consistent and significant (P ≥ 0.05) outperformances by USI/2/15 (a landrace) over other genotypes. Broadsense heritability was highest (84%) in plant height and least (30%) in leaf width. The genotypic proportion of the phenotypic coefficient of variation was highest (95%) in fruit weight while the highest (7.11) repeatability was observed in fruit width. Fruit length and width exhibited positive and significant (P ≥ 0.05) correlations with the other characters. Plant height, number of branches, leaf length and fruit width were identified to be most discriminatory among the genotypes at P ≥ 0.05. Cal-J, USI/3/15 and USI/7/15 were most similar, with mean similarity coefficient of 0.911. The most distant genotypes (USI/1/15 and USI/2/15) had a similarity value of 0.01. USI/3/15 and USI/5/15 showed high stability for fruit length; however, USI/5/15 further depicted high stability for fruit width. Both genotypes had bi = 1 and S2di with minimum deviation from regression. The eight genotypes were distinct. They can serve as useful genetic resources for tomato vigour and yield improvement through breeding.