Hybridity testing and heterosis in relation to genetic divergence in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) under rice based cropping system

The present investigation was carried out to determine the genetic purity of the crosses in chickpea using SSR markers. The application of molecular markers SSR21 and SSR22 in F1 hybrids and their parental lines produced two bands indicating similarity among the hybrids and parental lines. The mixtures and off-types did not show similar banding pattern as compared to hybrids. The D² analysis showed high amount of genetic diversity among parents and parental lines. The value of heterosis in a cross, JG 315 x ICCV 96029 was positive significantly higher for days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, secondary branches plant⁻¹, pods plant, biological yield and seed yield plant⁻¹, however, it was significantly negative only for 100 seed weight.