Vol. 8, Issue 9, Part N (2024)

This study evaluated the genetic variability, heritability, and genetic advance of key biochemical and morphological traits in carrots to identify potential targets for breeding programs. The phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was higher than the genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) for all traits, suggesting an influence of environmental factors, although the small differences between PCV and GCV indicate strong genetic control. Traits such as alpha-carotene, lycopene, lutein, beta-carotene, total carotenoids, antioxidant activity, and total phenolics exhibited high PCV and GCV, demonstrating significant genetic variability and potential for selection. Total soluble solids (TSS) showed medium variability with moderate potential for genetic improvement. Heritability estimates in the broad sense ranged from 95.57% for TSS to 99.69% for alpha-carotene, indicating a high degree of genetic control for most traits. However, genetic advance as a percentage of mean varied, with most traits showing low values, except for total phenolics, which exhibited moderate genetic advance (19.61%). The combination of high heritability and low genetic advance suggests limited potential for significant improvement through direct selection for most traits, except total phenolics, which may offer more promise for genetic enhancement. For morphological traits, high heritability was recorded for plant weight, root weight, marketable yield, and core width, with marketable yield showing the highest genetic advance (207.84%). These findings highlight the importance of considering both heritability and genetic advance when selecting traits for improvement, suggesting that traits like total phenolics and marketable yield are prime candidates for further breeding efforts.