Study of mean performance and extent of heterosis in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

Abstract

The study aimed to assess mean performance and heterosis levels for fruit yield and its component traits in cucumber. Seven parental genotypes were crossed in a half-diallel mating design to generate 21 F₁ hybrids, evaluated using a randomized block design. Seeds of the hybrids were produced during summer 2022 at the Potato Research Station, SDAU, Deesa. Significant variability among genotypes was observed for all traits. Parent ACUS-19-14 and the hybrid ACUS-19-14 × ACUS-19-19 showed the highest fruit yield per plant. Wide ranges of heterobeltiosis (-36.14% to 49.89%) and standard heterosis (-32.24% to 59.06%) were recorded for yield, with ACUS-19-14 × ACUS-19-19 exhibiting maximum positive heterosis, followed by ACUS-19-14 × ACUS-20-04 and ACUS-19-18 × ACUS-19-16. Key contributing traits included number of branches, fruit size, average fruit weight, and fruit number. Overall, the hybrids ACUS-19-14 × ACUS- 19-19 and ACUS-19-14 × ACUS-20-04 were identified as the most promising for improving fruit yield in cucumber.