Studies on heterosis and combining ability for earliness and yield in sponge gourd

Combining ability studies of seven parental lines of sponge gourd in 2 × 5 Line × Tester design for earliness and yield revealed the predominant role of non-additive gene effect in controlling earliness and increasing yield. Among parents, Pusa Sneha was found the best general combiner for imparting earliness; PSG-9 for ratio of male and female flowers and NSG-1-11 for total yield per plant. Significant sca effect for earliness was lacking, but five hybrids exhibited desirable sca effects for earliness. DSG-6 × Pusa Sneha was found superior for days to first fruit picking and DSG-7 × NSG-1-11 for number of male and female flowers and total yield per plant. The parent NSG-1-11 and Pusa Sneha were most promising for yield improvement and imparting earliness, therefore, they may be recommended as useful parent in breeding superior varieties. DSG-6 × Pusa Sneha exhibited maximum standard heterosis (%) for earliness and DSG-7 × NSG-1-11 for ratio of male and female flowers and total yield per plant. Therefore, they may be recommended for commercial cultivation in North Indian plains.