Development and comparative studies of double cross tomato hybrids

Abstract

In this present study, six F1 hybrids (Maya, Roma, Rio Grande, Emotion F1 Hybrid, Tomato 55 and Western Hybrid) were grown and their 15 crosses were evaluated. Out of 15 combination of crosses, 10 were recorded as successful viable hybrids, that is, Maya x Roma, Maya x Rio Grande, Maya x Western Hybrid, Roma x Rio Grande, Roma x Western Hybrid, Rio Grande x Tomato 55, Rio Grande x Western Hybrid, Emotion F1 Hybrid x Tomato 55, Emotion F1 hybrid x Western hybrid, Western Hybrid x Tomato 55. In F1 hybrids, average plant height, average flowers per cluster, average number of fruits per cluster, average weight of fruits, average days to harvest and 100 seed weight were recorded maximum in western hybrid, while average number of fruits per plant and average fruit yield per plant were recorded maximum in emotion F1 hybrid. In double cross hybrids, average flowers per cluster, average number of fruits per cluster and average fruit yield per plant were recorded maximum in emotion F1 hybrid x western hybrid. Average fruits weight and 100 seed weight were recorded maximum in emotion F1 hybrid x tomato 55, while average plant height, average number of fruits and average days to harvest were recorded maximum in western hybrid x tomato 55, Maya X Roma and Rio Grande X Western hybrid, respectively. Overall, a general trend was found that all F1 plants within the same variety were similar while plants within the same double cross hybrid showed segregation and distinct characteristics were noted. This study showed that there are greater chances of improvement through double cross hybrid production. The adopted pattern is an ideal way of exploiting variability which usually arises during the hybridization of two parental lines. Key words: F1 hybrids, double cross hybrids, hybrids variability.