Agricultural Research Journal

General and specific combining abilities (GCA and SCA) were estimated using ten lines of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and four testers and their F₁ hybrids, bred in line × tester fashion. The results indicated in general, that a particular cultivar or hybrid cannot be used to evaluate all studied characters with equal efficiency. Line, LBR-12 was found good general combiner for total fruit yield, pericarp thickness polar equitorial (P/E) ratio, dry matter, TSS and lycopene content; LBR-13 for pericarp thickness, dry matter, lycopene content, titratable acidity and carotenoides; LBR-19 for fruit yield, pericarp thickness, lycopene content and titratable acidity. Similarly tester, 8-2-1-2-5 was found to be good combiner for average fruit weight, total fruit yield, number of locules per fruit and lycopene content; tester EC-119197 for average fruit weight, P/E ratio, TSS and carotenoides. The obtained results further illustrated that the best hybrid combination that exhibited highest positive values of SCA can combine to produce a hybrid with good general performance. F₁ hybrids from cross combinations, LBR-7 × 8-2-1-2-5 were recorded with good specific combiner for average fruit weight, P/E ratio, lycopene and carotenoides; LBR-15 × EC-119197 for total fruit yield, locules per fruit, P/E ratio; LBR-13 × EC-119197 for average fruit weight, number of locules per fruit, pericarp thickness, P/E ratio, dry matter, titratable acidity and carotenoides.