Combining Ability Analysis for Yield and Quality Traits in Linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.)

The mean squares of general and specific combining ability were highly significant for most of the characters under the study. The ratio of gca variance to that of sca variance was less than unity for all the characters, suggesting that non-additive genetic components. Four parents viz; Padmini, LMS-149-4, JLS-9 and KL-221 showed positive general combining ability effectsamong which Padmini, LMS-149-4 and JLS-9 showed highly significant values. LMS-149-4 showed highly significant positive general combining ability effect and observed to be good general combiner for seed yield per plant as well as oil content. The specific combining ability (sca) effects for seed yield per plant varied between-1.10 (Meera X JLS-9) and 2.32 (JLS-9 X KL-221). Sixteen crosses showed positive sca in which eight crosses showed highly significant and positive sca while in oil content fifteen crosses showed positive sca.