Department of Botany, Government Agricultural College, Kanpur (U.P.)
*Present address: Govt. vegetable Raearch Station, Kalianpur (Kanpur) U.P.
**Present address: Additional Director of Agriculture, U.P. (Lucknow).
The manifestation of hybrid vigour in F1 population and subsequent depression incurred during selfing the hybrid population was studied for 15 grain and fodder yield contributing characters. Highly significant increase or heterosis was observed for plant height, number of internodes, number of branches, number of spike bearing branches, days to flower. Long and broad leaves, thick peduncles, long spikes and bold grains showed complete dominance over their respective contrasting characters. Partial dominance of better parent was observed for stem thickness. No dominance or nearly complete additive effect of the genes was observed in the expression of number of tillers, number of spike bearing tillers, peduncle length and spike thickness. Except for days to flower, highly significant inbreeding depression was found in all the characters under observation.
