Analysis of Heterosis and Combining Ability for Seed Yield and its Components in Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Abstract

The present study was carried out during the two successive seasons 2020-21 and 2021-22 at the Crop Research Farm, R.A.K. College of Agriculture, RVSKVV, Sehore (MP). General and specific combining ability estimates were obtained by employing Griffin’s diallel cross analysis, model 1 (fixed model) method 2. Heterosis over mid parents and better parents were determined as per standard procedure. Significance of heterosis value was tested using ‘t’ test. The analysis of variance revealed highly significant values among the treatments and parents for all the characters, indicating appreciable variability. The aim of this work was to study the general (GCA) and specific (SCA) combining ability and heterosis through half diallel mating among six different wheat genotypes. Based on GCA effects, GS-2031, HI-1634 and HI-1633 considered as good general combiners Seed yield /plant (g), Based on per se performance and significant SCA effects, the following crosses viz., GS-2031 x HI-8777, HI- 8777 x HI -1633, CWYT-614 x HI-1633, CWYT-644 x HI-1634, CWYT-614 x GS-2031, CWYT-644 x HI-8777, CWYT-644 x HI-1633, HI-1634 x HI-1633 and CWYT-644 x GS-2031 combination emerged as promising combiners for Seed yield/plant. A perusal of estimates of economic heterosis for yield and yield contributing characters revealed that hybrid CWYT-614 x GS -2031, CWYT-614 x HI -1633, CWYT- 644 x HI -1634, CWYT- 644 x GS -2031, CWYT- 644x HI -1633, HI -1634 x GS -2031, HI -1634 x HI -1633, GS -2031 x HI- 8777 and HI- 8777 x HI -1633 exhibited maximum estimates of significant positive economic heterosis for Seed yield/plant (g).