Study of combining ability for fruit quality characters in tomato (<em>Solanum lycopersicum</em> L.)

Abstract

The present investigation was performed at Horticulture Research Farm (V.R.C.), Department of Horticulture, Naini Agricultural Institute, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences (SHUATS) Prayagraj. The experimental material comprised of 8 genetically diverse genotypes of tomato, 28 crosses diallel mating design (excluding reciprocals) which was evaluated in a Randomized Block Design (RBD). Pant cherry tomato (PCT-1) was identified as a best general combiner for maximum number of traits followed by PPT-2, PBT-22 and PBT-23. The best specific combiner were PBT-15 x PBT-23 followed by PPT-2 x PBT-18, PBT-20 x PBT-19, PCT-1 x PBT-19, PBT-20 x PBT-18, PBT-19 x PBT-23, PBT-15 x PBT-18 and PPT-2 x PBT-23. Hence, these crosses can be utilized in heterosis breeding for improvement in fruit quality characters. The estimates of σ2GCA/σ2SCA indicated number of locules per fruit, pericarp thickness, TSS, pH of fruit juice and ascorbic acid were under the control of non-additive gene action with over dominance effect. Hence, these characters are suitable for hybrid breeding.