Heterosis and Combining Ability in Sesame (Sesamum Indicum L.)

Heterosis and combining ability analysis were studied in 8x8 half diallel set in sesame at Agricultural Research Station, Junagadh Agricultural University, Amreli during the kharif 2008. Out of 28 hybrids, positive and better-parent heterosis were estimated in AT 158 X AT 177 (94.79) followed by AT 158 X ABT33(78.13), AT 192 X G. Til1(72.22) and AT 158 XAT 192(61.47). The best performing hybrids were AT192 X G. Til 1, RT54 XABT 33, AT 158 XAT177 and AT 158 X AT 192 in the context of yield per se performance and had also a highly significant sca effects in desirable direction and high response over mid-parent, better parent as well as standard variety (check) for seed yield. Among parents, the parent AT 158 was a good general combiner for days to initiation of flowering, days to 50% flowering, reproductive period, plant height, 1000 seed weight and oil content; AT177 for days to maturity and length of capsule; RT 54 for biological yield per plant, seed yield per plant and harvest index; G. Til 1 for number of primary branches per plant and AT 192 fornumber of seed per capsule were best for different characters and their further utilization in breeding programs is suggested.