Abstract:
Brassica juncea
L. is an important oilseed crop which occupies prem
ier position in
Indian agriculture. Developing high yielding genoty
pes has been a major breeding
objective in Indian mustard. Present study was cond
ucted at Directorate of Rapeseed-
Mustard Research, India, during 2010-2013 to determ
ine General combining ability
(GCA) and Specific combining ability (SCA) of paren
tal lines and better parent heterosis
of 36 crosses of Indian mustard. Parents and F
1
hybrids were evaluated in RCBD with 3
replications. Line×tester analysis involving nine b
reeding lines and four testers revealed
the operation of both additive and non-additive gen
e actions with predominance of non-
additive gene action in controlling yield and contr
ibuting traits. Four lines, namely,
DRMR 2243, DRMR 2341, DRMR 2486, DRMR 2613, and one
tester, NRCHB 101, were
adjudged the best general combiner possessing highl
y significant positive GCA effects for
seed yield and yield contributing traits. Significa
nt SCA effects for seed yield, 1000-seed
weight, oil content, and other attributing traits i
n desirable direction were recorded in a
series of hybrids and a close association between S
CA effects and heterosis was observed
amongst the best hybrids identified on the basis of
SCA effects. Hybrids DRMR
2243/NRCHB 101, DRMR 2269/NRCHB 101, DRMR 2326/NRCH
B 101, DRMR
2341/NRCDR 2, DRMR 2398/NRCHB 101, DRMR 2486/Ashirw
ad and DRMR
2613/NRCDR 2 exhibited highest magnitude of better
parent heterosis with highly
significant SCA effects and higher per se performan
ce for seed yield. The high yielding
crosses may be exploited for developing superior ge
notypes and the parents involved may
be converted to well adapted cytoplasmic male steri
le or restorer lines.
Keywords:
Additive gene actions, High yielding genotypes, Re
storer lines, Specific
combining ability.
