Diallel analysis in fieldpea [Pisum sativum (L.) var arvense.]

Abstract

Heterosis and combining ability study for yield and yield related attributes in Fieldpea [Pisum sativum (L.) var arvense.] was carried out through a 10 x 10 half diallel analysis at Centre of Excellence for Research on Pulses, Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar. Experimental materials comprising 10 parents, their 45 crosses and a standard check DF-1. The material was planted in a randomized block design with three replications during rabi 2012-13. The analysis of variance indicated significant differences among genotypes, parents and crosses for all the characters. The mean squares due to parents vs. hybrids were significant for all the characters except days to maturity, number of seeds per pod, number of primary branches and test weight under study. Exploitable heterosis over mid parent, better parent and standard heterosis, out of 45 hybrids, few hybrids exhibited significant heterosis in desired direction for days to flowering, days to maturity, plant height, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, number of primary branches per plant, grain yield per plant, test weight, protein content and harvest index . The highest heterosis over standard check variety (DF-1) for Grain yield per plant was registered by the cross IPFD-1-10 x LFP 477 followed by HUDP 954 x Pant P 167, HFP-4 x Pant P 167, HFP-4 x IPFD-1-10 and HUDP 954 x IPFD 10-13. Heterosis for grain yield per plant was reflected through number of seeds per pod, number of pods per plant and harvest index. The crosses DF-1 x HFP-4, HUDP 954 x LFP 477 and LFP 477 x IPFD 10-13 were found to be most promising for grain yield with respect to high and significant sca effects. The ratio of gca : sca variance (σ²_gca/σ²_sca) was less than unity for all the characters under study. This indicated that non-additive types of gene action were primarily involved in the expression of these characters. Among the parents, DF-1, IPFD 10-13 and GCO-703 were good general combiners for grain yield. They were also good general combiners for important traits like days to flowering, days to maturity, number of seeds per pod and test weight. DF-1 was also good general combiner for grain yield per plant, days to maturity, protein content and harvest index. High general combining ability effects are related to additive gene action and additive x additive interaction effects which represent the fixable genetic component of variation. In view of this, IPFD 10-13, DF-1 and HFP-4 appeared to be worth for commercial exploiting in the fieldpea, breeding programme aimed at yield improvement. Among the crosses, positive significant sca effects for grain yield were exhibited by 17 crosses. These crosses also exhibited significant sca effects in desirable direction for one or more important yield components and other quantitative traits. The crosses DF-1 x HFP-4, HUDP 954 x LFP 477 and LFP 477 x IPFD 10-13 were found to be most promising for grain yield with respect to high and significant sca effects.