Combining ability and gene action in greengram

Abstract

A research programme, consisting of three lines, five testers and fifteen hybrids, was carried out at the department of Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, during 1992-’93, to evaluate the combining ability and gene action for yield and drought tolerance under drought condition. The lines and testers were selected based on previous performance and crossed in line x tester manner. Observations were made on both yield and drought related characters. Significant differences among the treatments were observed for all characters except root/shoot ratio while crosses were found to be significantly not different for stomatal distribution. Combing ability analysis was carried out for all traits except stomatal distribution, as suggested by Kempthorne (1957). Specific combing ability effects were significant for all traits indicating non-additive gene action except for root length where only g c a was significant indicating additive gene action. Both additive and non-additive gene action were significant for root/shoot ratio, root spread, proline content, number of pods per plant, seed yield, biological yield and harvest index. Among lines, the best general combiner for various characters was PDM-139 followed by Pusa-103. Among testers, ML-131, can be selected as the best male parent followed by Co-2 and PDM-134. No specific cross combination was found to be significantly different for all traits. The varieties PDM-139, Pusa-103, ML-131, Co-2 and PDM-134, and the cross combinations Pusa-103 x Co-2, Pusa-103 x ML-131, PDM-139 x Pusa baisakhi, and PDM-146 x PDM-134 were recommended for further utilization.