Heterosis study for yield and yield attributes in castor (Ricinus communis L.)

Abstract

A full diallel analysis was carried out by using five parents and their resulting 20 hybrids along with three check (GNCH-1, GCH-8 and GCH-9) of castor to estimate heterosis in the inheritance of majority of yield and yield contributing traits. The experiment was conducted in randomized block design with three replications at the college farm, N. M. College of Agriculture., N. A. U., Navsari during year 2019-20. The highest values of heterobeltiosis were 67.12% and standard heterosis were 38.98%, 32.37% and 33.66% over GNCH-1, GCH-8 and GCH-9 respectively for seed yield per plant in cross NAUCI-8 × NAUCI-7. Three cross combinations viz., NAUCI-8 × NAUCI-7, NAUCI-6 × NAUCI-8 and NAUCI-9 × NAUCI-3 manifested significant and positive standard heterosis over checks GNCH-1, GCH-8 and GCH-9. The highest heterotic cross NAUCI-8 × NAUCI-7 also exhibited highest percentage of standard heterosis in desirable direction for yield attributing characters like secondary branches per plant, nodes up to primary spike, days to maturity and oil content (%).