Per se Performance and Heterosis in Relation to Gene Action for Seed Yield and Yield Related Traits in Chickpea

Abstract

Background: The productivity of chickpea needs to be increased significantly to exploit the maximum benefit from the increasing world market demand for this crop. Hence, the objective of this study was to find suitable heterotic cross combinations for yield and yield related traits in chickpea. Methods: The present study on chickpea was conducted at Norman E. Borlaug Crop Research Centre, GBPUAT, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, during rabi season of 2018-2019. It comprised a half-diallel set of seven diverse parents viz. PG5 and PG170 and five ICRISAT chickpea collections viz. ICC13124, ICC14778, ICC14815, ICC16348 and ICC16349 and their 21 F1 crosses were used for heterosis studies through 7×7 diallel analysis with respect to seed yield and other yield contributing traits. Result: Variance components of combining ability revealed that both additive and non-additive gene actions were important for yield and yield related traits. The parent ICC13124 was best general combiner for yield and related traits. It was also one of the parents in best specific combinations for seed yield. The crosses viz. PG170×ICC16349 (7.15), ICC13124×ICC14815 (3.22) and ICC13124×ICC14778 (3.00) were the best specific cross combinations for seed yield. The highest heterosis for seed yield was observed in cross PG170×ICC16349 (73.14%) followed by ICC13124×ICC14815 (43.17%) and ICC13124×ICC14778 (41.09%). The results showed direct association between the specific combining abilities of the crosses and heterotic response indicating the involvement of additive × additive type of interactions causing heterosis. Hence, the GCA, SCA and per se performance of the crosses should be given equal importance while selecting for heterotic combinations.