Heterotic potential of male sterility-based cross combinations in brinjal (Solanum melongena L.)

Abstract

The utilization of male sterility-based genetic emasculation in heterosis breeding will reduce the cost of commercial hybrid seed production in brinjal. The present investigation involved the evaluation of 50 male sterility-based hybrid combinations for testing their heterotic potential for different fruit and yield traits against the commercial and high-yielding hybrid PBH-3. Among all D-9991-1 × R-2596/PB-9-3 displayed the highest heterosis for the days to 50 % flowering (-25.85 %) as well as first fruit harvest (-24.00 %). D-214-1 × R-6-22-1 was the most heterotic for fruit weight (31.41%), while D-104-1 × R-2596/PB-9-3 (48.92%) and D- 9991-1 × R-2596/PB-9-3 (47.69%) were at the top for fruits per plant. D-9991-1 × R-2596-8-1-3 (143.35 %) and D-320-1 × R-2596/PB-9-3 (162.17 %) showed the highest and positive heterosis for anthocyanin and dry matter, respectively, and D-67-1 × R-2596/PB-9-3 (1.39 %) performed at par with the check hybrid PBH-3 for total phenols. Among all, four hybrid combinations viz D-104-1 × R-259-622-1(41.67%), D-104-1 × R-2596/PB-9-3(36.25%), D-9991-1 × R-2596/PB-9-3(36.11%), D-214-1 × R-3-23-1-5 (8.33%) were heterotic for fruit yield.