Exploiting Yield Potential in Cucumber (<i>Cucumis sativus</i> L.) through Heterosis Breeding

Abstract

Eight genetically divergent parental lines of cucumber were crossed in a diallel pattern to investigate general, specific combining ability and extent of heterosis for yield and its attributing traits. The combining ability analysis revealed that both gca and sca variance were significant for all the characters except equatorial diameter of fruit. Non-additive gene action played a major role in controlling the characters like days taken to first fruit harvest, number of fruits per vine, average fruit weight, diameter of fruit, and average fruit yield. On the basis of gca parent ACC-8 for diameter of fruit and average fruit yield, ACC-2 for days to first fruit harvest and number of fruits per vine, and ACC-4 for average fruit weight were found to be the best general combiner. Cross combinations ACC-2×ACC-6 for days taken to first fruit harvest; ACC-4×ACC-7 for number of fruits per vine; ACC-3×ACC-8 for average fruit weight; ACC-3×ACC-4 for diameter of fruit; ACC-1×ACC-4 for average fruit yield manifested highest sca effects. Cross combination of ACC-1 X ACC-4 and ACC-2 x ACC-6 showed 39.25 and 32.23 heterosis for average fruit yield over standard check, respectively.