Studies on heterosis and combining ability in bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria ( mol.) standl.) for yield traits

Thirty F1s with their thirteen parents in bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.)Standl.) were tested for combining ability and heterosis. The variances due to sca were highly significant for most of the traits except days to first male anthesis and fruit diameter. High estimates of sca for earlyness was exhibited by NIC-1225 x NDBG-56 and DVBG-1 x PSPL, whereas for important yielding traits by DVBG-2 xNDBG-56 and DVBG-1 x NDBG-58. The highest heterobeltiosis for yield per plant was recorded in DVBG-1 x NDBG-58, whereas, highest yielding F₁ was PBOG-40 x PSPL. The PBOG-62 x PSPL was earlier for first female flower anthesis and first harvesting. The gca effects showed PBOG-60 as best general combiner for most of the traits followed by PROB-61, DVBG-2 and PROB-40.