Agrotechnology

Abstract

Combining Ability Analysis to Identify Superior F1 Hybrids for Yield and Quality Improvement in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

Adhi Shankar, RVSK Reddy, M Sujatha and M Pratap

Combining ability and gene effects for yield and quality traits in tomato were studied by involving twenty four cross combinations obtained from crossing eight diverse lines with three testers in line×tester mating fashion. The analysis of variance revealed that the variance due to line×tester effects were highly significant for all the traits except lycopene content under study. Combining ability analysis revealed that magnitude of Specific Combining Ability (SCA) variance was greater than General Combining Ability (SCA) variance suggesting the predominance of non-additive gene action for yield per plant, pericarp thickness, TSS, titrable acidity, lycopene and shelf life. The degree of dominance revealed that over dominance is the cause of heterosis for these traits. Based on gca effects of parents, the lines LE-62 and LE-53 and the testers Arka Meghali and Arka Vikas were good general combiners for most of the traits under study. The crosses viz., EC-157568×Arka Vikas, EC-163611×Arka Alok, LE-62×Arka Alok and LE-64×Arka Vikas were found to be superior specific combiners for yield per plant. For quality traits, the cross EC-165749×Arka Alok was also superior specific combiner for yield per plant, TSS, ascorbic acid and shelf life and the cross EC-157568×Arka Alok was superior specific combiner for TSS, titrable acidity and lycopene.