Heterosis and combining ability of quality and yield of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.)

Abstract

Eight genetically divergent parental lines were crossed in a diallel pattern to investigate general and specific combining ability along with extent of heterosis for quality traits and fruit yield per vine in bitter gourd. The combining ability analysis revealed that mean squares due to GCA and SCA were significant for all the characters studied. Non-additive gene action played a major role in controlling the characters like flesh thickness, TSS, vitamin C, iron content and fruit yield per vine. On the basis of gca effects, parent Preethi for flesh thickness, Pusa Do Mausami for TSS and Phule Green Gold for vitamin C, iron content and fruit yield per vine showed highest gca effects. Specific combining ability analysis revealed that cross Improved Katahi x Preethi for flesh thickness; Preethi x Pusa Do Mausami for TSS; Thusi x Pusa Do Mausami for vitamin C; Phule Green Gold x Pusa Do Mausami for iron content and fruit yield per vine showed highest sca effects. The best crosses based on heterobeltiosis and sca effects for fruit yield per vine and quality traits were Phule Green Gold x Pusa Do Mausami, Phule Green Gold x Preethi and Preethi x Pusa Do Mausami.