Exploitation of hybrid vigour in ridge gourd (Luffa acutangula Roxb L.)

Abstract

A stud y was conducted for accessing hybrid vigour of 28 crosses of ridge gourd over standard parent during late Kharif 2008 at N.A.U., Navsari. Th ese hybrids were generated by half diallel mating design of eight diverse ridge gourd genotypes. Highly significant difference existed between genotypes for all studied traits. None of the hybrid showed consistent hetero sis for all studied traits. In crosses, maximum hetero sis was observed for fruit yield per vine followed by primary branches per vine. The highest economic heterosis was observed for fruit yield in ARGS 98-06 x ARGS 00-03 (63 .81%) which was followed by ARGS 02 -14 x ARGS 03 -18 (37.38%), ARGS 04-23 x ARGS 00 -03 (34.76%), ARGS 00 -03 x ARGS 03-18 (31.67%), ARGS 02 -14 x ARGS 98-06 (28.33%), ARGS 04 -23 x ARGS 98 -06 (26.67%) and SKNRG 21 x ARGS 03 -18 (25.00%). Th ese cross combination also showed heterosis for on e or more yield contributing traits. Therefore, three hybrids viz., ARGS 98-06 x ARGS 00-03, ARGS 02-14 x ARGS 03-18 and ARGS 04-23 x ARGS 00 -03 were identified for evaluation at multi-location and for commercial exploitation.