Electronic Journal of Plant Breeding

A line x tester analysis using 12 lines and three testers was carried out to study the combining ability and gene action in sesame for seed yield and 14 quantitative traits. Analysis of variance for combining ability revealed significant differences among the mean squares due to lines, testers and lines x testers for all the characters except oil content, which indicated the existence of genetic diversity among the parents and hybrids. General and specific combining ability variances showed the involvement of both type of gene actions in the inheritance of these characters. Among the lines, IC-81564, NIC-75, Borda-1 and among testers, G.Til-10 were good general combiners for seed yield per plant and some of its contributing traits. The cross combination, IC-81564 x G.Til-10 showed significant and positive sca effect for seed yield per plant and involved good x good combining parents. It was followed by AT-238 x G.Til-10, NIC-75 x G.Til-4, TNAU-12 x G.Til-4, Keriya-2 x G.Til-3 and Keriya-2 x G.Til-10 which involved either good x good, good x poor or poor x poor combining parents. These crosses have been identified as best hybrids for improving seed yield per plant and could be evaluated under different environment to confirm their superiority.