This study was conducted to assess the genetic variability and correlation of phenotypic characteristics in 12 tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) genotypes including 11 WorldVeg and one commercial variety (Pusa Ruby) in Terai (plain) region of Nepal in 2021–2022. This experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The phenotypic traits, including days to 50% flowering, plant vigor and height, fruit number/plant, fruit yield, fruit weight and diameter, fruit firmness and fruit pericarp thickness, and total soluble solids (TSS) content of the fruits, were studied. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences among the genotypes for all the traits except for plant vigor. The genotype of AVTO1705 resulted the highest fruit yield (2.9 kg/plant) than Pusa Ruby, a commercial check (0.5 kg/plant). The phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was higher than the genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) for all the traits and PCV values were maximum for the number of fruits, fruit yield, and fruit weight. High PCV, GCV, and genetic advance (GA) were observed for yield, fruit weight, and plant height, respectively, indicating the additive gene effect. High heritability for fruit yield/plant and plant height inferred the phenotypic selection for their genetic improvement. Fruit yield was significantly (P<0.05) positively correlated with the fruit number and fruit weight, and direct selection of these traits are reliable for yield improvement in tomato.

This study was carried out to select the suitable and high leaf yielding broadleaf mustard genotypes for the mid-hill conditions of Nepal. We evaluated seven germplasms of broadleaf mustard (Brassica juncea var. rugosa (L.) Czern.) namely, ‘HRDBLM001’, ‘HRDBLM004’, ‘HRDBLM007’, ‘HRDBLM009’, ‘HRDBLM010’, ‘Marpha Chauda Pat’, and ‘Khumal Chauda Pat’ in the field of the National Horticulture Research Centre, Khumaltar under Nepal Agricultural Research Council during the winter season of two consecutive years, 2019 and 2020. The germplasms were collected from the local diversity centres in the country. The experiment was laid out in the Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) in three replications per treatment. Seeding was done in September, and 28-day-old seedlings were transplanted in the field. The results obtained from the two consecutive seasons revealed that plant vigour was found to be greater in ‘HRDBLM010’ and ‘Khumal Chauda Pat’ (4.7 in the 1 to 5 scale score). The highest leaf weight (65.1 g) was found in ‘HRDBLM010’, followed by ‘HRDBLM007’ (45.6 g) and ‘Khumal Chauda Pat’ (40.9 g). The highest number of leaves was produced by ‘HRDBLM004’ (50 leaves per plant), while leaf weight per plant was the highest in ‘HRDBLM010’ (691.1 g per plant) followed by ‘HRDBLM004’ (535.4 g per plant). Genotype ‘HRDBLM010' produced the highest leaf yield (54.52 MT ha-1), followed by 'HRDBLM004' (44.28 MT ha-1) and ‘HRDBLM007’ (41.65 MT ha-1). Thus, these three germplasms showed superiority among the seven tested germplasms and they could be recommended for cultivation in the mid-hill conditions of Nepal.