Combining Ability in Indigenous Bitter Gourd (Momordica Charantia L.)
Abstract
The present investigation was undertaken to obtain information about general and specific combining ability in parental and F1 generation, respectively of six parental diallel cross (excluding reciprocals) of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.). Parental line Kalyanpur Sona was the best general combiner for average fruit weight, number of fruit per plant and fruit yield per plant while for days to anthesis first female flower and days to first harvest, the parent BIG-4 showed highest general combining ability in desirable direction. The parent BIG-2 was the best general combiner for number of branches per plant. The cross BIG-4 x BIG-56 was the best specific combiners for average fruit weight, number of fruit per plant and fruit yield per plant. BIG-56 x Kalyanpur Sona was the best cross for days to first harvest while BIG-1 x Kalyanpur Sona was the best combiners for days to anthesis first female flower and fruit length.
