Indian Journal of Genetics and Plant Breeding (The)

Seventeen mixtures involving five varieties ef gram (Cicer arietinum L.) along with their pure oops were evaluated for yield performance in normal as well as late sown conditions for 3 years. All varieties had similar plant heights and seed weights. The results indicated that varietal mixtures were superior to their components, especially under late sown conditions. Certain composite gave as high as 29.92% more yield over the average of their components and 21.4% more yield than the best check and, thus, showed overcompensatory effect. On the basis of overall performance the varietal mixtures C235 + H 208+PG114 and C235+BR77+PG 114+ St 4 were outstanding as they recorded maximum grain yield and were superior to the best check. It is concluded that it should be possible to develop compatible gram varietal mixtures which would give more yields under late sown conditions to which the existing cultivars show very poor adaptation and give poor yield.