Vol. 7, Issue 1 (2018)

Author(s):
Nirmala Bharti Patel, Rajeev Shrivastava, Nandan Mehta and Sunil Nag

Abstract:
Twelve crosses derived in line (4) × tester (3) mating design F₁s along with their parents were evaluated to study the combing ability and heterosis for fourteen yield and yield contributing traits in safflower. Analysis of genetic component of variance and variance due to specific combining ability (σ² sca) revealed preponderance of dominant variance and non-additive gene action for all of the traits. In hybrids, contribution of lines was higher over the testers for all the traits. Among the lines MSV-10-5-1 was the best combiner for number of branches per plant, number of capitulum per plant, number of seeds per capitulum, seed yield per plant. Line MMS-white was good combiner for oil content. Among the testers, GMU 1769 was found best combiner for number of seeds per capitulum and seed yield per plant were identified as promising general combiner. However, hybrid MSV-10-5-1 x GMU 1769 was found superior for number of branches per plant, number of capitulum per plant and seed yield per plant. Among the hybrids, identified superior crosses with significantly highest level of heterosis over standard check were GMU 224 x GMU 1303, GMU 224 x RVS-2012-13, GMU 224 x GMU 1769, TMS-3-6-7-9 x GMU 1303 and MSV-10-5-1 x GMU 1769 for seed yield per plant.