HETEROSIS AND COMBINING ABILITY STUDIES IN MUSKMELON (Cucumis melo L.)
Loading...
Date
2017-07
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
K.R.C. COLLEGE OF HORTICULTURE, ARABHAVI (UNIVERSITY OF HORTICULTURAL SCIENCES, BAGALKOT)
Abstract
An investigation on heterosis and combining ability studies in muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) was carried out in the fields of Department of Vegetable Science, K. R. C. College of Horticulture, Arabhavi. Totally 30 F1 hybrids were developed by crossing ten lines with each of three testers. These hybrids were evaluated along with parents and commercial check (Madhuras) in randomized block design with two replications and data was subjected to line x tester analysis. The magnitude of heterosis over commercial check (Madhuras) was high in the desirable direction for number of branches per vine at 30 DAS (75.00 %), flesh thickness (74.75 %), total soluble solids (70.61 %), total sugars (63.47 %), β-carotene content (60.77 %), number of leaves per vine at 30 DAS (57.85 %), fruit yield per vine (56.96 %), fruit yield per plot (56.96 %), fruit yield per hectare (56.96 %), number of fruits per vine (53.13 %), average fruit weight (52.79 %), number of leaves per vine at 60 DAS (49.60 %), cavity breadth (-44.59 %), number of branches per vine at 60 DAS (39.77 %), number of fruiting branches per vine (38.60 %), number of nodes up to first female flowering (-35.94 %), cavity length (-35.63 %), rind thickness (-32.56 %), sex ratio (-31.58 %) and vine length at 60 DAS (31.01 %). Maximum heterosis over commercial check for fruit yield per hectare was exhibited by the cross KM-2 x PS (56.96 %) followed by KM-1 x DK (52.19 %) and KM-3 x PS (46.56 %) and these hybrids were also identified as good specific combiners for fruit yield per hacter.
Comprehensive assessment of parents by considering gca effects of 26 characters studied has resulted into identification of lines, viz., KM-1, KM-2, KM-8 and KM-10 as good combiners over all characters. The average fruit weight, flesh thickness, cavity length, vine length, number of branches, sex ratio, fruit yield per vine, fruit yield per plot, fruit yield per hectare, days to first flowering, days to first female flowering, number of nodes up to first female flowering, number of fruiting branches per vine, number of fruits per vine, fruit shape index, rind thickness, cavity breadth, total soluble solids, total sugars and β-carotene content are predominantly controlled by non-additive gene action and hence heterosis breeding and recurrent selection can be employed for improvement. Direct selection or recurrent selection can be employed for the improvement of the traits number of leaves at 60 DAS and days to first harvest as the additive and non additive component of genetic variances are controlling these traits.
Description
TH604
Keywords
null