1Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221 005
2Department of Plant Breeding, Agriculture College, Bapatla, A.P., India
3FAO Office of the United Nations, Mali wan Mansion, Phra Atit Road, Bangkok-2, Thailand.
Combining ability analysis for nodule number, nodule volume and nodule dry weight in an 8 × 8 diallel grown in symbiosis with cowpea Rhizobium strain M05 or M200 revealed the involvement of both additive and nonadditive gene effects in control of these traits. Parents t44 and K8S1 had significant positive estimates of g.c.a. effects for the three nodulation traits and would be useful as parents in hybridization programmes. Some cross combinations showed significant heterosis for the three traits. The three nodulation traits showed moderate to high heritability and high positive and significant correlation with total nitrogen/plant. Nodule number appears to be a suitable criterion for selection for total nitrogen under the conditions of this study.
Vigna radiata, mungbean, combining abitity, nodulation traits
