Vol. 13, Issue 2 (2024)

Author(s):
MS Tagade, AB Bhosale, SK Marbhal, SG Bhalekar and AA Bhagat

Abstract:
Twenty one hybrids were obtained by crossing 7 x 7 genotypes in half diallel fashion was evaluated in randomized block design with two replication during rabi 2021-22 at research farm of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Pune-05, (M.S). The cross combination GMU-7942-1 x SSF-658, SSF-658 x Bhima, SSF-708 x CO-1, SSF-658 x GMU-7942-2, GMU-7942-1 x SSF-708, GMU-7942-1 x GMU-7943-1 were best on the basis of heterosis over mid and better parents. Among them GMU-7942-1 x SSF-658 was best cross combination. The mean sum of squares due to GCA was showed highly significant for all the characters except days required for bud initiation and mean sum of squares due to SCA was highly significant for all the character except days required for bud initiation and plant canopy. The germplasm line GMU-7942-1 (number of flower per plant, diameter of flower head, number of disc florets, fresh flower weight, shelf life of flower, plant canopy, seed yield per plant), SSF-658 (flower duration, length of disc florets, length of flower stalk) and Bhima (rosset stage, number of flower per plant).The cross combination which showed best specific combining ability are GMU-7942-1 x SSF-658 (number of flower per plant, diameter of flower head, fresh flower weight, shelf life of flower, seed yield per plant, plant canopy), SSF-658 x GMU-7942-2 (seed yield, number of disc florets, number of branches) and SSF-658 x Bhima (rosset stage, length of flower stalk). The crosses also recorded high heterotic effect, high per se performance. They also depicted high SCA effect and high heterosis for number of flowers per plant, seed yield, diameter of flower head, shelf life of flower flowering duration and plant height. The SCA effects were more than GCA effects showing greater role of non-additive effects for all the traits except which the plant canopy showed greater role of additive gene interaction. GCA: SCA ratio also indicated predominance of non-additive gene effect for these traits. Hence it is observed that the dominance as well as additive component of variation was important for expression of safflower yield and its components.