Combining ability effects for fruit characters in brinjal (Solanum melongena L.)

Brinjal var. Pant Rituraj showed the best general combining ability (gca) effects for fruit diameter, average fruit weight and number of infested fruits/plant whereas, Pant Samrat for number of healthy fruits/plant, total number of fruits/plant and yield/plant and S. aethiopicum L. (2n=24) for the traits number of healthy fruits/plant, total number of fruits/plant and weight of infested fruits/plant whereas. BARI was found best general combiner for fruit length, average fruit weight, weight of healthy fruits/plant and yield/plant. PB-71 gave significant gca effect for fruit diameter, average fruit weight and yield/plant. The cross BARI x PB-66, BARI x Pant Rituraj and BARI x Pant Samrat were found highest specific combining ability (sca) effect for most of the characters studied. Other good specific combiners were PB-66 x PR, PB-66 x PS, BARI x PB-71 and S. aethiopicum x BARI. These parents and specific combinations could be utilized for further breeding programme of brinjal improvement.