Heterosis and combining ability analysis in snowball cauliflower using indigenously developed CMS lines

Abstract

Five CMS lines, Ogu12A, Ogu13A, Ogu14A, Ogu15A and Ogu16A were selected among fifteen lines after BC7 based on superior commercial, floral and seed setting traits. Line × Tester analysis was done by taking these five CMS lines as female parent with ten diverse lines of snowball cauliflower as testers. Data were recorded for 14 important vegetative and commercial traits. For days to 50% curd initiation and days to 50% curd maturity the CMS line Ogu15A exhibited significantly high GCA effect in negative direction (−14.52 and-14.38). For marketable curd weight and marketable curd yield significantly high GCA effects were recorded in the CMS line Ogu15A (0.11; 0.10) and Ogu13A (5.28; 4.75). Among the ten testers only two genotypes, Kt-2 and EC-162587 had significantly high GCA effect for marketable curd yield. Very high and significant SCA effect has been recorded in the combination Ogu16A × Kt-25 (20.25) and Ogu15A × Kt-2 (19.72) for marketable curd yield. The CMS line, Ogu15A was involved in the most of the heterotic combinations for earliness. Average heterosis was in desirable positive direction for 7 among 14 traits. The range of average heterosis for days to 50% curd maturity was-8.55 to 25.0% and it was-32.04 to 127.91% marketable curd yield. Ogu15A was involved in maximum number of combinations for earliness and higher productivity. Highest heterosis for marketable curd yield was recorded in the combination, Ogu15A × Kt-2 (127.91%), followed by Ogu14A × Sel-26 (90.90%) and Ogu15A × Sel-26 (86.18%). The CMS lines with better combiling ability are involved with most of the heterotic combinations for different traits thus can be used for development of F1 hybrids.