Development and performance studies of F1 hybrids in Manjarigota type of brinjal (Solanum melongena L.)

Abstract

Brinjal is an important solanaceous vegetable crop grown in India and throughout the world. The Manjarigota type of brinjal is of purple colour with white strips and has great demand in south India due its colour and taste. Twenty one crosses resulting from a L x T design comprising of seven lines and three testers were studied to know the combining ability and magnitude of heterosis. Combining ability analysis revealed that L3 and L4 showed good general combiner for most of the characters. The tester T2 were identified as good general combiner for yield and yield attributing characters. Among the 21 crosses, L4 x T2 was identified as best specific combiner as it showed high sca effect and per se performances (2.73 kg) for fruit yield per plant. For heterosis out of 21 crosses, L4 x T2 (69.56%) and L3 x T2 (49.68%) were the most heterotic and could be exploited for commercial cultivation. The cross L4 x T3 exhibited highest magnitude of heterosis over commercial check for average fruit weight (14.22%), L6 x T2 exhibited significantly heterobeltiosis (-4.89) for days for fifty per cent flowering which is desirable. The hybrid L4 x T2 exhibited highest magnitude of mid parent heterosis (90.74%) for number of fruits per plant and highest heterobeltiosis (98.74%) for estimated yield tonnes per hectare in desired direction. The hybrid L4 x T2 exhibited highest heterosis over mid parent and commercial check for fruit length. For fruit diameter L6 X T2 exhibited highest heterosis over mid parent and commercial check.