B.A. College of Agriculture, Gujarat Agricultural University, Anand Campus, Anand - 388 110, Gujarat, India.
*Part of Ph.D Thesis submitted by the senior author to Gujarat Agricultural University, Anand Campus, Anand, 388110, Gujarat.
Hybrid vigour and combining ability of 45 brinjal hybrids was studied for yield, yield components and quality characters during late summer season. Fruit yield per plant had recorded high heterobeltiosis to an extent of 114.43 per cent and standard heterosis of 38.77 per cent. High heterobeltiosis and standard heterosis (>60 per cent) were also noticed for the quality traits, namely, total soluble sugars and total phenols. Further, the combining ability analysis revealed pre-ponderant non-additive gene action for all the traits studied. A perusal of the gca effects revealed KS 224, PLR 1, Morvi 4–2 and JBPR 1 to be good general combiners for fruit yield per plant. In addition, KS 224 was observed to be a good combiner for total phenols; while PLR 1 and Morvi 4–2 were noticed to be good combiners for total soluble sugars. Among the hybrids, 22 crosses had exhibited significant and desirable sca effects for fruit yield per plant. Of these, six crosses had recorded desirable sca effects in addition to significantly high heterosis for the trait. An analysis of these crosses revealed the involvement of either both good or one good and one poor general combiner parent. The hybrid, KS 224 × PLR 1, involving both good combiner parents had recorded maximum fruit yield, in addition to desirable heterosis and sca effects for the trait, while the hybrids, KS 224 × AB 98–10 and PLR 1 × Morvi 4–2 had recorded significant and desirable heterosis, sca and per se effects for the quality traits, in addition to high fruit yield per plant and hence, these hybrids hold potential for commercial exploitation during late summer season.
