Heterosis and Combining Ability Studies in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp]
Loading...
Date
2007-05
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Agricultural Botany Department, N. M. College of Agriculture Gujarat Agricultural University
Abstract
Diallel analysis using eight parents was carried out with a view
to estimate heterosis, combining. ability and gene effects in Cowpea (Vigna
unguiculata (L.) Walp).The experimental material comprising of eight
parents and twenty eight hybrids were planted in a randomized block design
with three replications at college farm, N.M.College of Agriculture, Navsari
during kharif2005.
The analysis. of variance revealed highly significant differences
among parents and hybrids for most of the characters studied indicating
presence of considerable amount of genetic variability in the material tested.
In the present study, high heterotic effects were observed for
branches per plant, seeds per pod, seed yield per plant, 100 seed weight. and
protein content. Remaining characters which recorded low heterotic effects
were 50 per cent flowering, plant height. days to maturity. and pod length.
The most heterotic cross for the seed yield was GC-OOll X GC-9710
•followed by CAZC-21 X DCP-2.The high heterotic response for seed yield
per plant was mainly due to seeds per pod and 100 seed weight.
Combining ability analysis revealed that mean squares due to
both general and specific combining ability were significant for all the
characters. Specific combining ability variance was predominant for most of
the traits. Higher sca variances indicated the importance of non-additive gene
effects.
As regards to gca effects DCP-2·showed positive gca effects for
branches per plant, pod length, pods per plant, seeds per pod, seed yield per
plant, I 00 seed weight and GC-OO 12 was good general combiner for plant
height, branches per plant, pod length, pods per plant, seeds per pod, seed
yield per plant and protein content.
The per se performance of parents was more or less related to
their gca effects. Crosses showing high sca effects for seed yield per plant
also indicated high sea for some of the yield components. The hybrid
showing high sea effects for seed yield were resulted from crosses between
good x good, poor x good and good x poor combiners.
In general , biparental mating and diallel selective mating system
could be advocated for accumulation of additive gene effects and breaking up
undesirable linkage in order to exploit both additive and non additive genetic
components.
There is a need to replicate the promising parents and hybrids to
different environment and / or locations to collect the information regarding
the stability of performance.
Description
Keywords
null
Citation
PATEL SHAILESH JAGANNATHBHAI_37284