Genetics of quantitative characters in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

Seven parents of chickpea viz., Vishal, GNG 469, Phule G 96108, ICP 92–39, Phule G 95126, Phule G 93009 and ICC 4958 were crossed in diallel fashion (excluding reciprocals) to find out their combining ability for grain yield, its components and protein content. Variances due to general and specific combining abilities were significant for all the traits studied except sca for days to maturity and protein content. The parent Vishal found to be good general combiners for secondary branches per plant, harvest index, 100 seed weight, protein content and pods per plant. Another parent, ICC 4958 evinced good gca for secondary branches per plant, harvest index, 100-seed weight, protein content and days to maturity. However, GNG 469 was good general combiner for plant height, pods per plant, 100-seed weight, seed yield per plant and protein content. These parents may be exploited for improvement of respective character through breeding programme. On the basis of per se performance, gca effects of the parents and sca effects of the crosses for seed yield and its components, the crosses, Vishal × Phule G 96108 and Phule G 96108 × ICC 4958 were appeared promising to give superior transgresive segregants in subsequent generation. Additive type of gene action was found important for plant height, secondary branches per plant and 100-seed weight. Therefore desired improvement in chickpea can be achieved for these traits through simple selection methods. However, non-additive type of gene action was involved in inheritance of grain yield per plant, days to 50% flowering pods per plant and harvest index. Desirable plants from early generation isolates should be intermated to improve these characters.