Thirteen accessions of Salacia chinensis L., a threatened species known for its medicinal properties, were evaluated in terms
of variability, heritability and genetic advance for yield and other contributing traits. Genotypic coefficient of variation and
phenotypic coefficient of variation were highest for fruit yield per plant followed by plant spread, fruit weight and seed weight.
High heritability and high genetic advance over mean were observed for fruit weight (99.1 %), fruit yield per plant (98.5 %), seed
length (98.1 %), seed weight (97.2 %), leaf area (96.8 %), fruit length (96.8 %), plant spread (96.2 %), seed diameter (96.2 %),
fruit diameter (94.2 %), leaf length (92.1 %), leaf width (86.4 %), plant height (85.1 %) and petiole length (84.1 %) thus indicating
that these characters had additive gene effect and hence, they can be used for effective selection.