Evaluation of agro-morphologic diversity of some accessions of eggplant (Solanum melongena), some wild and cultivated relatives and their interspecific hybrid progenies

Abstract

[EN] Commercial varieties of eggplant, Solanummelongena, are vulnerable to future challenges related to the effects of climate change. It is therefore important to provide plant breeders and farmers with plant material that can meet these new challenges by exploiting some of the natural abilities of wild relatives.The aim of this study was to appreciate the transmissibility of interesting traits to the descendants by evaluating the agro-morphologic diversity of 8 accessions of S. melongena, 8 accessions of 6 wild or cultivated relatives and 36 interspecific progenies. Mean values of agro-morphologic traits revealed heterosis effects for vegetative growth characteristics in interspecific hybrids between S. melongena and wild relatives. A Principle Component Analysis identified three morpho-groups that discriminate S. insanum, S. anguivi and S. dasyphyllum, the respective wild ancestors of the three main cultivated eggplant species, S. melongena, S. aethiopicum and S. macrocarpon. In addition, interspecific hybrids belong to the same morpho-groups as the wild parental accessions, which could therefore carry dominant alleles of genes controlling the expression of these agro-morphologic traits. In general, fertile interspecific hybrids have values of production characteristics intermediate between those of parental accessions, suggesting the involvement of genes with additive effects in the expression of these traits.