The present investigation was undertaken to estimate the genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance for quantitative and qualitative traits among 25 genotypes of orange flesh sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.] in a randomized block design with three replications during kharif 2015-16 at College of Horticulture, Venkataramannagudem, Dr. Y.S.R. Horticultural University. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences among the genotypes for all the traits under study indicating, the presence of sufficient variability in the studied material. High magnitude of PCV and GCV were observed for width of leaf lobe, leaf area, total leaf dry weight, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, length of vine, internodal length, number of branches per plant, fresh weight of whole plant, dry weight of whole plant, fresh weight of root, dry weight of root, leaf area index, specific leaf area, specific leaf weight, crop growth rate, net assimilation rate, reducing sugar, non-reducing sugar, total sugar, β-carotene, number of root tubers per plant, root tuber girth, root tuber yield per plant and root tuber yield per hectare suggesting the existence of wide range of genetic variability in the germplasm for these traits and thus the scope for improvement of these characters through simple selection would be better. High heritability (h2) estimates (>60%) coupled with high estimates from genetic gain as percent of mean (>20%) were observed for width of leaf lobe, petiole length, leaf area, total leaf dry weight, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, length of vine, internodal length, number of branches per plant, fresh weight of whole plant, dry weight of whole plant, fresh weight of root, dry weight of root, leaf area index, specific leaf area, specific leaf weight, crop growth rate, net assimilation rate, starch, reducing sugar, non-reducing sugar, total sugar, β-carotene, number of root tubers per plant, root tuber length, root tuber girth, root tuber yield per plant and root tuber yield per hectare indicated that the heritability is due to additive gene effects which may be improved through simple plant selection methods.

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