Combining Ability for Yield and Its Attributes in Indian Mustard (Brassica juncea (L.) Czern & Coss)

Ten lines were crossed with four testers in Line x Tester fashion to estimate the combining ability for yield and yield attributing traits in Indian mustard. The analysis of variance was found significant for all the character suggesting the presence of considerable amount of variability among the parents and hybrids for seed yield per plant, important yield components and quality characters. The general and specific combining ability variances were significant for all the traits. The ó²gca and ó²sca ratio indicated that non-additive gene action was predominant in the inheritance of all the traits except plant height and number of siliquae per plant. The parents SKM-0518, SKM-0907 and SKM-0445 were good combiners for seed yield per plant. Sixteen crosses expressed significant and positive sca effects for seed yield per plant. The estimates of specific combining ability effects indicated that the cross combinations SKM0820 x GDM-4 (15.49) followed by SKM-0715 xSKM0445 (13.53) and SKM-0907 x SKM-0445 (12.45) were significant for seed yield per plant. The cross SKM-0820 x GDM-4 registered high per se performance, standard heterosis and sca effects for seed yield per plant. These cross combination could be utilized for further use in breeding programme for improvement in seed yield of mustard.