1Dept. of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh (Gujarat)
2Dept. of Genetics and Plant Breeding, N.M.C.A., Navsari (Gujarat)
3Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari (Gujarat)
4Dept. of Genetics and Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Yeola (Maharashtra)
*E-mail: patils350@gmail.com
Online published on 19 December, 2013.
A study was conducted to evaluate combining ability of 8 genetically divergent parental strains of cowpea by diallel analysis (excluding reciprocals) with respect to seed yield and its components. Combining ability analysis revealed that both additive and non-additive variances were significant for seed yield per plant and its related traits indicating their involvement in the expression of various traits. The magnitude of non-additive variance was higher for seed yield per plant and its contributing traits indicating predominant role of non-additive gene action in the inheritance of the traits.Among the parents V 240, GC 4 and GC 5 were good general combiners for seed yield and most of yield components. The parents viz., RC 19 and GC 3 were good general combiners for earliness and short plant stature. The cross DCP10 x GC 5, DCP2 x V 240 and GC 4 x GC 5 showed sca effects of higher order for seed yield and majority of yield components.
Diallel analysis, combining ability and Cowpea
