“Heterosis, combining ability and gene action studies in cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. var. cerasiformae)
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Date
2021-11-22
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College of Horticulture and Forestry Neri, Hamirpur (H.P.)
Abstract
The present investigation entitled “Heterosis, combining ability and gene action studies in cherry tomato
(Solanum lycopersicum L. var. cerasiformae)” was carried out at vegetable farm located at Regional Horticultural
Research and Training Station, Dr. YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Jachh (Nurpur), DistrictKangra
(H.P.) during the year 2020 and 2021. The experimental material for the present study comprised of five
parents and ten crosses, developed by crossing these five diverse tomato lines in half diallel design (excluding
reciprocals). ). All the parents and their hybrids along with the standard check (Cheramy) were planted in a
Randomized Complete Block Design for their evaluation in Summer, 2021. The observations were recorded on
days to first flowering, days to marketable maturity, average fruit weight (g), number of fruits per cluster, number
of fruit clusters per plant, harvest duration (days), number of fruits per plant, fruit yield per plot (kg), plant height
(cm), number of locules per fruit, pericarp thickness (mm), total soluble solids (oBrix), fruit colour and observation
on insect pest (if any). The analysis of variance indicated highly significant differences among the genotypes for
all the traits studied. Experimental results revealed that two lines viz., Punjab Red Cherry and Punjab Sona Cherry
were found superior on the basis of mean performance and general combining ability studies. Three cross
combinations viz., Solan Red Round × Punjab Sona Cherry, Pusa Cherry Tomato-1 × Punjab Sona Cherry and
Punjab Red Cherry × Punjab Kesar cherry were found best on the basis of mean performance, specific combining
ability and heterosis studies. Hence, these hybrid combinations can be tested further at multiplications before
recommendation for commercial cultivation in Himachal Pradesh and in India as well. Gene action studies
indicated predominance of dominance effects in governing most of the traits suggesting exploitation of hybrid
vigour and developing hybrids for improvement of these traits in cherry tomato on the basis of present studies..