Estimates of combining ability effects of parents & crosses for different characters

Abstract

Pulses in India have long been considered as only source of poor man’s protein. India is the largest importer, producer and consumer of pulses (Jitendra et al., 2011). India accounts for 33% of the world area and 22% of the world production of pulses (Amarender, 2009). Pulses production in India 18.34 million tonne (ICAR 2013-14). Combining ability analysis is frequently employed to identify the desirable parents for inclusion in hybridization programme. Both additive and non-additive components of gene action contributed significantly for most of the characters except yield plant-1 and number of branches plant-1, so for improvement of most of the characters population improvement method may produce desirable results. HUM-12 and PS-16 were found to be best general combiners for a number of traits. Bireswar was found as good combiners for plant height, days to maturity, pod length, number of branches plant-1, 100 seed weight, seed yield plant-1 and protein content and PS-16 for days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, pod length and pod width and protein content. Significant positive sca effect for yield plant-1 was observed in the cross PS-16 x Bireswar which was also significant and desirable sca effect for 100 seed weight, number of pods plant-1and protein content in seed.