The heterosis and combining ability studies with 10 parent diallel crosses (without reciprocals) in ash gourd were conducted for yield and its related traits. The mid-parent heterosis was observed as high as 166% for the yield per vine. In the present study, DAG-12 × DAG-11 was the best heterotic combination (in terms of better parent, mid parent and top parent heterosis) for number of female flowers; DAG-5 × DAG-11 for number of fruits per vine and DAG-1 × DAG-5 for individual fruit weight and yield per vine. The parent, DAG 4 was found to be the best combiner for yield per vine, respectively. The specific crosses, P3 × P8 (DAG-1 × DAG-5), P2 × P10 (DAG-4 × DAG-11), P5 × P10 (DAG-6 × DAG-11), P4 × P5 (DAG-9 × DAG-6), and P9 × P10 (DAG-12 × DAG-11) can be utilized in heterosis breeding programme for the improvement of yield per vine in ash gourd.
Benincasa hispida, heterosis, combining ability
