I.A.R.I. Regional Research Station, Kalianpur, Kanpur
Online published on 25 January, 2012.
The existence and extent of hybrid vigour in intervarietal crosses of rai (Brassica juncea Coss.), an often self-pollinated cruciferous oilseed, has been studied using the advanced stigma mutant. The yield of parents and hybrids as well as some yield components were evaluated. Hybrids had, in general, more primary and secondary branchs and gave higher yields than the parents. Two hybrids involving Rai 62 and R.L. 16 were compared with the recommended variety for U.P. Laha 101 and out-yielded the latter by 45% and 36% respectively.
Parent-offspring regression studies showed that none of the characters of pollen parents except yield per plant, had any relationship with the yield of the hybrids. Height, number of secondary branchs and number of siliquae on main branch were significantly correlated with yield in the pollen parents while in the hybrids, number of primary and secondary branches, number of seeds per siliqua and days to flower were significantly correlated with yield.
Methods of maintaining the mutant line have been described.
