Exploitation of hybrid vigour in radish (Raphanus sativus L.)

Eight divergent genotypes were crossed in a diallel fashion excluding reciporcals. The 28 F₁ hybrids and 8 parents were evaluated in the field. Analysis of variance showed highly significant differences among genotypes, parents, hybrids and parents vs. hybrids. The F₁ hybrids revealed wide range of heterosis over the better parent for all the eleven characters observed. Shoot weight recorded the maximum heterobeltiosis followed by yield per plant, root weight, leaf width, petiole length, root diameter, leaves per plant, leaf length, root length and root-shoot ratio. Only one hybrid showed heterosis over better parent for days to harvest. Several hybrids exhibited superiority over top parent and standard check for different characters. However, the best performing hybrids were different from the best heterotic crosses in majority of characters. The best performing hybrid P4 × P6 (Acc. No. 30205 × Acc. No. 192) could be considered as a potential hybrid for commercial exploitation.