Combining Ability Studies in Bitter Gourd (Momordica charantia L.) for Quantitative Characters

An experiment was conducted during 20012-13 at Vegetable section, department of vegetable science, college of horticulture arabhavi, arabhavi on combining ability studies in bitter gourd for quantitative characters by using six lines and four testers in a line x tester mating design. Except two characters (number of primary branches and fruit yield per vine) significant differences were observed for the characters under study. Variances due to SCA were higher than the corresponding GCA for all the characters except for vine length at 60 and 90 DAS, it indicates predominance of non additive gene action and there is a scope for heterosis breeding. Out of ten parents Panurthy, Coimbatore Long, Chidambaram Small and VRBT-100 were observed to be best general combiner as they have made significant contribution in yield contributing characters. Coimbatore Long x Panurthy exhibited high SCA effect for fruit yield per vine, node at first female flower appears and days to first harvest, VRBT-100 x Panurthy is best for days to first male and female flower appears, Coimbatore Long x Panurthy is best for sex ratio and number of seeds per fruit in desired direction. These crosses can be exploited as desirable hybrids.