Department of Plant Breeding, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
Heterosis and combining ability were studied in line × tester crosses for six characters in black-gram. Heterosis was observed over mid-parent for grain, yield cluster number, pod number and branch number. Fifty-six and 33% of the hybrids excelled the better parent and standard check respectively. Three hybrids were significantly better than both better parent and standard check. Heterosis in yield seems to be reflected through heterosis in cluster and pod number. Superiority of one tester over the other could not be established. It was visualized that two lines, viz., T 27 and P 1–68 and a few crosses may prove useful in future breeding programmes.
