Combining ability analysis for yield, yield attributes and quality traits in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

Line × Tester analysis was carried out in a set of 20 crosses developed using five lines and four testers to ascertain the nature of gene action and combining ability of parents for yield, yield attributes and quality traits in groundnut. The estimates of GCA and SCA variance indicated the predominance of non-additive gene action for the inheritance of all the traits except SCMR at 60 DAS. The parents TCGS 1694, TCGS 1862, Kadiri-6 and TCGS 2251 were identified as good general combiners which could be further used in breeding programmes for yield improvement. The cross, Kadiri-6 × TCGS 1862 exhibited desirable sca effects for days to maturity, number of secondary branches plant^-1, number of pods plant^-1, number of mature pods plant^-1 and kernel yield plant^-1, while the cross Narayani × TCGS 2251 was found to be a good combiner with high sca effects for earliness (days to flowering and days to maturity).These two combinationshad either low × high or high × medium gca parents indicating the involvement of both additive and non-additive gene action.