Study of heterosis and inbreeding depression for yield attributing characters in Pigeonpea

By : A. Nishant Bhanu , M. N. Singh , Abhinav Singh Rathore , A. Hemantaranjan , S. K. Saroj

Page No: 143-148

Abstract
In the present investigation five pigeonpea crosses namely MAL 18 × BWR-133, Bahar × BSMR 846, Bahar × BWR 23, MAL-18 × BSMR 846 and ICP 2376 × BSMR 846 were studied to comprehend the extent of heterosis over mid-parent (MP) and better-parent (BP) for grain yield and its attributing characters. Maximum positive heterosis over MP was observed in MAL-18 × BSMR-846 for seed yield plant-1 (63.38%) and also for number of pods plant-1 (33.87%). Maximum heterosis over BP was observed for seed yield plant-1 in Bahar × BSMR-846 (34.35%) followed by number of secondary branches plant-1 in MAL-18 × BSMR-846 (34.13%). Positive inbreeding depression for most of the characters indicted that selection could be practiced in latter generations. High heterosis displayed by seed yield plant-1 may be due to pods plant-1, branches pant-1 and plant height. Recurrent selection or Biparental mating for branches plant-1, number of pods plant-1 and seed yield should be recognized as the ideal breeding approach for pigeonpea improvement programme.

Authors :
A. Nishant Bhanu, M. N. Singh, Abhinav Singh Rathore and S. K. Saroj : Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi- 221 005, India.
A. Hemantaranjan : Department of Plant Physiology, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi- 221 005, India.