Combining ability studies for earliness and yield in pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) in summer season

Abstract

Gene action, Combining ability variance derived by crossing eight diverse pumpkin parents were studied through half diallel analysis including 28 F1 hybrids for earliness and yield components. Data was recorded for seventeen characters. The mean squares due to GCA were significant for all the seventeen characters. The ratio of σ²GCA/ σ²sca suggested that non additive gene action had greater role with inheritance of characters. Out eight parents P1, P2 and P3 was the best general combiner as it showed high GCA effect in desirable direction for most of the traits. The best promising hybrids regarding sca effects for yield and majority of yield traits were P1 x P2, P1 x P3, P2 x P3, P2 x P5, P2 x P8 and P3 x P4. Hence these crosses can be utilized in further heterosis breeding for improvement in pumpkin.