Combining ability and heterosis studies in brinjal (Solanum melongena L.)

Abstract

The combining ability, magnitude of gene action and heterosis for quantitative traits were assessed in brinjal using six lines and three testers in L x T mating design. The estimate of gca for lines and sca for hybrids represented that the lines Sagoli Xingiya, Baromohiya, MLC-1 and the testers SM-6-7 and Longai were best general combiners for most of the traits whereas the hybrids Utsav x Longai, Dari Hariharka x Longai, MLC-3 x SM-6-7, MLC-1 x JC-1, Baromohiya x SM- 6-7 and Sagoli Xingiya x JC-1 were the best specific combiners for yield and yield contributing traits. The crosses BM x JC-1, Utsav x Longai, MLC-1 x JC-1, BM x SM-6-7, MLC-3 x SM-6-7 and MLC-3 x JC-1 had significant (good x poor/ poor x good) sca effect for the traits fruit weight, number of fruits per plants and yield per plant which resulted from one good and one poor general combiner. The ratio of gca and sca variance ranged from 0.04 to -1.44. The variance due to sca was higher than gca for all the characters except number of branches per plant indicating the preponderance of non-additive gene action which can be utilized for the development of hybrids. The study highlights the facts that not always good combiner x good combiner gives cross combinations with high sca effect, even cross combinations with poor general combiners can be equally exploited for crop improvement.