Heterosis in pigeonpea hybrids based on male sterile lines.

Sixty four pigeonpea hybrids derived from crosses between four genetic male sterile lines and eight diverse testers were evaluated over three environments to estimate heterosis over mid-parent, better parent and standard check (ICPH-8). An appreciable amount of heterosis was noticed for almost all the traits. The magnitude of heterosis was high for seed yield per plant and pods per plant, medium for plant height, branches per plant, 100-seed weight and harvest index and low for days to flowering and protein content. The best three heterotic hybrids for seed yield per plant and its components viz., pods per plant, branches per plantand harvest index were MS 288 x SKNP 9231, MS 288 x SKNP 9219 and MS Pusa 33 x SKNP 9256. The study revealed good scope for commercial exploitation of heterosis for seed yield and its components as genetic male sterile lines areavailable in pigeonpea.