Heterosis in Relation to Genetic Divergence and Specific Combining Ability in Indian Mustard, Brassica Juncea L. Czern

Eighteen parents along with their 45 F₁ hybrids were assessed for genetic divergence and heterosis with respect to seed yield and other quantitative characters. The parents and their F_|, in general, were distributed in different clusters. There was no correspondence between parental divergence and heterosis exhibited by hybrids. The optimum level of parental divergence to obtain economic heterosis in F₁, was provided by the intermediate divergence class. The occurrence of differential frequencies of heterotfc crosses in classes was related to the parental divergence and/or specific combining ability of the crosses.