A study was conducted to assess the degree of genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance in 35 bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standl.) genotypes, including a check variety, Narendra Rashmi for sixteen quantitative characters. The experiment was carried out in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications. Significant genetic variability was confirmed by analysis of variance, which revealed considerable variations among genotypes for all traits. A greater magnitude of phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) than genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) for all the traits including fruit length, fruit girth and vine length suggested significant environmental influence. On the other hand, traits like fruit length, fruit girth, vine length and quantity of fruits per plant showed high heritability and genetic advance, indicating the role of additive gene action and the possibility of successful selection. These results offer a solid foundation for choosing desired genotypes for bottle gourd breeding programs in the future and to increase production.
