Department of Plant Breeding, G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, 263 145, India
*Part of M.Sc. thesis submitted by the senior author to G.B.P.U.A. & T., Pantnagar.
Combining ability analysis, involving 15 lines with different eco-geographic origin and 3 widely adapted varieties as testers, was made in gram for six characters. The variances due to GCA and SCA showed that gene action was predominantly additive for plant height, pods per plant and seeds per pod and primarily non-additive for days to maturity and yield per plant. For primary branches, both types of gene actions were important. Hyb. 16-3, BRG 8, NEC 240, 1868 and T3 were observed to be good general combiners for yield per plant. Among these Hyb. 16-3 and BRG 8 were good general combiners for primary branches and pods per plant. NEC 240 was good general combiner for dwarfness. H 208 × L 550, G 130 × L 550, G 130 × 1868, T3 × BRG 8, T3 × NEC 240, H 208 × JG 62, G 130 × Hyb. 16-3, T3 × P 840, and T3 × RS 11 were observed to be outstanding crosses showing higher SCA effects for yield and some of its components.
