Heterosis for grain yield and it's contributing traits in wheat [Triticum aestivum (L.)]

A field experiment was conducted to study the extent of heterosis in forty five genotypes of Wheat [Triticum aestivum (L.)]" including twelve parents and their thirty two F₁"s developed through Line x Tester analysis. The analysis of variance for experimental design revealed that highly significant differences were existed among genotypes, parents and hybrids for most of traits. Based on overall study, the highest heterosis over standard check variety (GW 496) for grain yield per plant was registered by the cross GW 503 x GW 190 followed by GW 173 x GW 190, GW 11 x GW 190, GW 503 x GW 322 and GW 11 x GW 322. Among these, GW 503 x GW 190 had highest heterosis over standard parent. The hybrids viz., GW 173 x GW 190, GW 173 x GW 322, GW 173 x GW 273 and GW 503 x GW 322 showed significant positive heterobeltiosis and economic heterosis for number of effective tillers per plant and one or more traits like Spikelets per spike and harvest index. Based on overall study on heterosis the promising crosses viz., GW 503 x GW 190, GW 173 x GW 190, GW 11 x GW 190 and GW 503 x GW 322 were identified. The significant economic heterosis in desirable direction was observed in most of the high heterotic hybrids for grain yield per plant and numbers of effective tillers per plant which indicates that the maximum contribution of this character towards yield heterosis. These crosses could be exploited for isolating useful transgressive segregants in wheat.