Evaluation of the performance of parental lines and their F1 hybrids for yield and attributing traits in pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata Duch. ex. Poir.)

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out to obtain information based on per se performances of parents and their combinations for genetic improvement in pumpkin. Eight promising genotypes were crossed in a diallel manner (excluding reciprocals). Half diallel set of 28 F1’s in pumpkin was evaluated in Randomized Complete Block Design (RBD) with three replications for fourteen traits during Zaid 2022-23 (Y1) and 2023-24 (Y2) at the Main Experimental Station (MES), Department of Vegetable Science, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Narendra Nagar, Kumarganj, Ayodhya (U.P.) India. The study evidently showed highly significant differences being observed for most of the traits under study. Based on per se performance, The parent Narendra Upkar (8.35 kg) exhibited highest fruit yield per plant followed by Narendra Agrim (7.69 kg), NDPK-76-1 (7.68 kg), NDPK-12-1 (7.68 kg) and NDPK-12-1 (6.69 kg). Among the hybrids, the highest fruit yield per plant exhibited by NDPK-12-1×NDPK-17-12-1 (14.34 kg) followed by Narendra Agrim×NDPK-17-12-1 (13.53 kg), Narendra Amrit×Narendra Upkar (10.42), Narendra Agrim×NDPK-12-1 (10.40kg) and Narendra Upkar×NDPK-76-1 (9.64 kg) in descending order.