Study of β-carotene enhancing ‘Or’ gene effects on yield and contributing traits in mid-season Indian cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis L.)

Nature of gene action of EC 625883, an orange curd colour genotype, on yield and contributing traits incauliflower was studied by using five generation model (P₁, P₂, F₁, F₂ and F₃) in three cross combinations, viz., DC-309 × EC 625883, CC-35 × EC 625883 and DC 18–19 × EC 625883 for ten quantitative traits. The orange curdcolour Or gene donor homozygous line EC 625883 and three divergent recipient mid season (November-January)maturity white curd lines, namely, DC-309, CC-35, and DC 18–19 were involved in hybridization. Generationmean analysis using scaling test indicated that epistasis gene interaction model fitted well for most of the traitsunder study in all the three cross combinations. The complementary type of gene interaction was observed fornumber of days to marketable curd maturity, total plant weight, marketable curd weight and net curd weight. Thepresence of complementary type of interactions and prevalence of high magnitude of non-additive gene effectssuggested exploitation of heterosis breeding for improvement in cauliflower using Or gene for enhancing of β-carotene and micronutrient simultaneously.