Genetic Diversity and Variability in Landraces for Key Agroeconomic traits in Vegetable Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa var. sabdariffa L.)

Landraces of vegetable Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa var. sabdariffa L.) are under subsistence and commercial cultivation in tribal, rural and peri-urban vegetable farming systems by the tribal folks, small and marginal farmers of south India. Leaf yields of these landraces are low in farmer’s conditions either due to poor production potential of landraces or poor agrotechniques. The production potential and the economic value can be enhanced by identifying the promising landraces and their intensive cultivation in the market and truck gardens. In collaboration with National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, Regional Station, Rajendranagar, 28 landraces of vegetable Roselle were collected from parts of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha states of India during 2010-2011. These landraces were evaluated in a randomized block design with three replications during summer 2013 at Vegetable Research Station, Rajendranagar to assess the production potential and the genetic variability for various agro-economic traits. The variation recorded within the landrace germplasm for plant height, total biomass, leaf yield, stalk yield, leaf-stalk ratio and harvest index show its potential for use in the genetic improvement. The landraces RNR-16, RNR-20 and RNR-27 were promising as indicated by the high leaf production potential of 14.22, 12.72 and 11.85 g plant^-1, respectively. High estimates of heritability coupled with high genetic advance as percent of mean for plant height, total biomass, leaf yield, stalk yield and leaf-stalk ratio indicating the possibility to improve these agro-economic traits through selection programs. Selection is effective for plant height, leaf yield, stalk yield, leaf-stalk ratio and total biomass in vegetable Roselle.