Assessment of per se performance, combining ability, hybrid vigour and reaction to major diseases in pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.

Abstract

An experiment was carried out using seven cytoplasmic-genetic male sterile (CGMS) lines as females and seven diversified testers as males in a line × tester design. The analysis of variance for parents, females x males, hybrids and parents vs hybrids showed significant differences for almost all characters studied indicating the presence of sufficient variability among parents. Analysis of variance for combining ability revealed that mean squares due to females and line x tester interaction were significant for most of the characters. Thereby it is suggested that the variation in hybrids in respect of seed yield may be strongly influenced by the female lines. Analysis of variance revealed that the ratio of variance due to GCA to SCA was less than unity for all the characters indicating that these traits may be under the influence of non additive gene action and these characters are more likely to be improved through heterosis breeding. The gca effects of parents revealed that ICPA-2043, ICPA-2047, ICPA-2078, AKT-9913, BDN-2 and GRG-811 were good general combiners for seed yield and it’s direct compo-nents. The top three crosses exhibiting high specific combing ability effects along with their Per se performance, standard heterosis and gca status of the parents indicated that the cross combinations ICPA-2092 x GRG-811, ICPA-2043 x ICP-7035 and ICPA-2047 x RVKP-261 were good specific combiners for seed yield. These parental combinations are being used for exploitation of hybrid vigour. The good general combiners (ICPA-2043, ICPA-2047, ICPA-2078, AKT-9913, BDN-2 and GRG-811) and promising crosses viz. ICPA-2047 x GRG-811 and ICPA-2047 x BDN-2 were resistant for SMD and Fusarium wilt diseases, having high mean performance, positive sca effects for seed yield were identified from the present investigation and these may be useful in future breeding program.