Gene action, heritability and combining ability studies in F2 generation of bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L. var. grossum)

Abstract

Six diverse homozygous parents, BWR-1, BWR-6-1, BWR-29, BWR-39, EC-464107 and EC-464115 were evaluated for gene action, heritability and combining ability using 6X6 diallel cross excluding reciprocals. The results showed that analysis of variance revealed significant differences due to parents, crosses and parent’s vs crosses. Mean squares due to GCA and SCA were significant for all traits days to 50% flowering, days to first picking, plant height, primary branches per plant, harvest duration, lobes per fruit, fruit length, fruit width, pericarp thickness, average fruit weight, fruits per plant, fruit yield per plant, marketable fruits per plant, marketable fruit yield per plant and total soluble solids. Non-additive gene effects were more important than the additive gene effects in the inheritance of days to 50 per cent flowering, days to first picking, primary branches per plant, harvest duration, lobes per fruit, average fruit weight, fruits per plant, fruit yield per plant, marketable fruits per plant, marketable fruit yield per plant and total soluble solids. Additive gene effect was important for plant height, fruit length, fruit width and pericarp thickness. Average degree of dominance showed over dominance for days to 50 per cent flowering, harvest duration, fruits per plant, fruit yield per plant, marketable fruits per plant and marketable fruit yield per plant. Narrow-sense heritability estimates were high for plant height, fruit length, fruit width and pericarp thickness. BWR-6-1, BWR-39 and EC-464107 were good general combiners for fruits per plant, fruit yield per plant, marketable fruits per plant and marketable fruit yield per plant. BWR -1 X EC -464115 and BWR-6 -1 X EC -464107 were good specific combiners for fruits per plant, fruit yield per plant, marketable fruits per plant and marketable fruit yield per plant.