Study of Heterosis for Seed Yield and its Contributing Traits in Field Pea (Pisum sativum L.)

Study was conducted to estimate heterosis in garden pea (Pisum sativum L.) involving nineteen parents in line x tester fashion for seed yield and its contributing traits in forty eight hybrids. Sixteen parents were used as line and three as tester. The hybrids along with their parents were evaluated to assess heterosis. Among the hybrids, EC322748 X Rachna has recorded maximum heterosis as well as good performance for grain yield with 337.50 and 136 percent heterosis over better parent and standard variety respectively followed by EC-322748 x Pant P-5 with 300.0 and 116.22 percent heterosis over better parent and standard check respectively. These crosses also found to be good performer in terms of days to maturity, plant height, productive branches per plant and harvest index. High heterosis for seed yield demonstrates the presence of commercially exploitable magnitude of heterosis which can bring the quantum jump in productivity of field pea.