Kailash Nath Katju College of Agriculture, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya Campus, Mandsaur 458001.
Four standard varieties of opium poppy were crossed with 31 diversed genotypes. The extent of heterosis in the hybrids over mid and better parents ranged from -32.7 to 105.1 and -42.9 to 77.8% for opium yield and from 40.9 to 145.2 and 43.8 to 134.0% for seed yield, respectively. Leaf area index, number of effective lancings per capsule and morphine content exhibited least heterosis. MOP 187 X IC 42 for opium yield and MOP 379 X IC 30 for seed yield were identified as best crosses based on heterosis.
Heterosis, opium poppy, opium yield
