Vol. 11, Issue 11 (2022)

Author(s):
RG Zala, DR Mehta, LJ Raval and GJ Dela

Abstract:
An investigation was conducted with nine diverse parents to develop thirty-six F₁’s and F₂’s by using half-diallel mating design to estimate heterosis and inbreeding depression for seed yield and its components in sesame (Sesamum indicum L.). The analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences among parents, F₁’s and F₂’s for all the characters studied (except oil content in parents). The highest heterobeltiosis for seed yield per plant was recorded in the cross, IC-96127 x G.Til-10 followed by IC-96127 x IC-204169, AT-345 x G.Til-10 and AT-345 x IC-96127. Whereas, the highest standard heterosis for seed yield per plant was registered by the cross AT-345 x G.Til-10 followed by AT-345 x IC-96127, IC-96127 x G.Til-10 and AT-345 x AT-375. The crosses with high heterotic values for seed yield per plant and its important attributes also showed moderate to high inbreeding depression, suggesting that heterosis was mainly due to non-additive gene action for most of the characters. The cross combinations, IC-96127 x G.Til-10, AT-345 x G.Til-10 and AT-345 x IC-96127 were the most promising cross combinations for seed yield per plant, on the basis of their high heterobeltiosis and standard heterosis in F1 generation and thus, can be utilized effectively in future breeding programmer.