ARTICLES

Heterosis and Combining Ability Studies and Relationship Among Fruit and Seed Characters in Peanut¹

Authors: S. L. Dwivedi , K. Thendapani , S. N. Nigam

Abstract

F₁ progenies from an 8 × 8 full diallel cross were studied for the inheritance of fruit yield and fruit and seed characters which are important in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) quality breeding. Substantial genetic variaton was observed for most characters among parents and crosses. Presence of significant heterotic crosses for several characters was an indication of genetic diversity present among the parental lines. Whereas fruit and seed traits were controlled largely by additive genetic effects and fruits/plant and fruit weight/plant by nonadditive genetic effects, for shelling percentage both were equally important. Estimates of general combining ability (gca) for ICGV 86564 was best for various fruit and seed traits. Other genotypes with good gca were ICG 2379 and ICG 3043 for fruit weight/plant and ICGV 87123 for shelling percentage. ICG 4906, ICG 7360, and ICGV 86564 showed significant maternal effects for various traits. Significant maternal interaction effect was evident for more than six traits in six crosses. A positive association among fruit and seed traits, and of fruit weight/plant with fruit number and with fruit/seed length and width should result in progenies with larger fruit/seed size coupled with increased yields.

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Keywords: Groundnut, maternal effects, Diallel, Correlation, hybrid vigor

How to Cite: Dwivedi, S. , Thendapani, K. & Nigam, S. (1989) “Heterosis and Combining Ability Studies and Relationship Among Fruit and Seed Characters in Peanut¹”, Peanut Science. 16(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.3146/i0095-3679-16-1-4