Heterosis in bottle gourd Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standl.

Abstract

Studies were carried out to estimate heterosis for yield and yield traits in bottle gourd. Heterosis for fruit yield per vine ranged from -35.2 to 23.9 per cent over mid parent and -17.6 to 68.5 per cent over standard check Samrat. For number of fruits per plant and average fruit weight was ranged from -28.2 to17.9 per cent and -22.1 to 22.4 per cent over mid parent and -17.6 to 53.3 per cent and -11.7 to 44.6 per cent over standard check Samrat, respectively. Regarding fruit length the heterosis ranged from -15.1 to 19.9 over mid parent while standard heterosis ranged from -7.05 to 48.9. Heterosis for days to first fruit harvest ranged from -0.53 to -12.4 and -0.55 to -14.7 over mid parent and standard check respectively. It was important to note that six F1 hybrids viz., Samrat X Aditi followed by Aditi X TC 092372, IC 093236 X TC 092372, Samrat X TC 092372, Samrat X IC 093236 and Aditi X PSPL produced significantly higher yield than the standard check Samrat.