Studies on Heterosis for Pod Yield and Nitrogen Fixing Trait in Garden Pea Under Dry Temperate Condition

The present investigation was conducted at high altitude and dry temperate region of Himalaya during summer season of 2007 and 2008. The better parent and economic heterosis were estimated for various horticultural and soil fertility improving traits in 8 × 8 garden pea half diallel crosses involving eight genetically diverse genotypes (Arkel, VL-9, PSM-3, DARL-403, Punjab Ageta, Azad P-3, VL-316 and Pant Uphar). Analysis of variance revealed significant differences for GCA and SCA for all the traits studied. Among the parents, DARL-403, PSM-3 and Pant Uphar emerged as a good general combiner for pods per plant, pod yield per plant and nitrogen fixing nodules per plant. These parents may be used as source for improving both nitrogen fixing and pod yield traits. Among 28 crosses, only five crosss viz., VL-9 × Pant Uphar, VL-9 × DARL-403, DARL-403 × Pant Uphar, DARL-403 × VP-316 and PSM-3 × DARL-403 exhibited highly significant and maximum better parent (BP)and economic heterosis (CP) for nitrogen fixing nodules, pod yield and its contributing horticultural traits like primary branches per plant and pods per plant under dry temperate region. So, these cross combination must be considered for finding out premium pod yielder and high nitrogen fixing genotypes from late segregating generations for dry temperate environment of Himalayas.