Expression of Heterosis in Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) in Gujarat

A study was conducted in sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) at Regional Rice Research Station, Vyara (Gujarat) to assess the extent of heterosis for eleven quantitative traits including seed yield per plant. Five lines and ten testers were crossed in line x tester manner to develop 50 F₁ hybrids. Analysis of variance revealed the significant differences among the crosses for all traits. Heterosis was worked out over better parent and standard varieties Gujarat Til-4 and TKG-22. Three hybrids viz., G.Til-3 x PKV NT-11, G.Til-3 x AKT-101, Phule Til-1 x JLS-116 and Phule Til-1 x JLS-9707-2 showed desirable heterobeltiosis for seed yield per plant along with other six major yield contributing characters. The crosses G.Til-3 x PKVNT-11, G.Til-3 x JLS-206-10, G.Til-3 x AKT-101, G.Til-3 x AKT-64 and G.Til-3 x JLS-110-12 were the best heterotic combinations for seed yield, which recorded 128.29 and 91.78, 101.20 and 69.03, 94.66 and 63.53, 89.47 and 59.17, 82.09 and 52.97 percent standard heterosis over Gujarat Til-4 and TKG-22, respectively. These crosses could be utilized for hybrid development after testing in large scale trials to confirm the superiority in heterosis.