Combining ability analysis for grain yield its contributing traits and protein content in pea (Pisum sativum L.)

Combining ability analysis was done using 45 F1 hybrids, 45 F2 and their parents obtained from a (10 x 10) diallel mating design for eight quantitative and quality traits viz.; length of the pod (cm), no. of pods/plant no. of seeds/pod, 100-grain weight (g), grain yield/plant (g), harvest index (%) and protein content (%). Both general and specific combining ability variances were highly sjgnificant for almost all the traits under study. Based on desirable gca effects the best common combiners in F1 and F2 generation were found for different traits vit.; PG 3 and Thuupcut for length of the pod, Rachna and L 116 for no. of pods/plant, Thuupcut, HFP 4 and T 163 for no. of seeds/pod, Rachna and PG3 for no. of branches/plant, HUP 7, HFP 8603 and PG 3 for 100-grain weight, Rachna and Thuupcut for grain yield/plant, KRDP 3, HFP 8603 and HUP 7 for harvest index and PG 3 and L 116 for protein content.

Out of 45 crosses, only six crosses (Rachna x KRDP 3, Rachna x HUP 7, Thuupcut x HFP 8603, PG 3 x HFP 8603, L 116 x HFP 8603 and T 163 x HFP 4) were found best combiners for specific combining ability, effect for grain yield and protein content in both the generations.