Combining ability and gene action and heritability studies in Chilli (Capsicum Annuum L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to key genetic parameters such as combining ability, the nature of gene action and heritability of important yield and yield contributing traits in chilli. To achieve this, a half diallel mating design was employed using eight genetically diverse parental lines. This design resulted in the development of 28 F1 hybrids, which were subsequently evaluated during the summer season of 2023. The estimates of general combining ability (GCA) effects revealed that the parental lines Sel.10-2, Sel.59-2-2, Sel.64-1, and Sel.14-6-2 were identified as good general combiners, as they exhibited significant GCA effects in the desirable direction for several key traits, particularly those related to earliness and yield contributing characters. Estimates of specific combining ability (SCA) effects indicated that the cross combinations P2 X P3, P3 X P5, P3 X P8, P6 X P7, P6 X P8 and P7 X P8 exhibited significant and positive SCA effects for the majority of yield and yield related traits. The magnitude of σ²GCA/σ²SCA was found to be less than 1 indicating the predominance of non-additive gene action for all the growth and yield characters except for average weight of fruit which showed additive gene action. The narrow sense heritability for all yield and yield contributing characters ranged between 2.10% to 55.40%.