ANALYSIS OF HETEROSIS FOR POD YIELD AND ITS COMPONENTS IN RELATION TO GENETIC DIVERGENCE OF THE PARENTS AND SPECIFIC COMBINING ABILITY OF THE CROSSES IN COWPEA (VIGNA UNGUICULATA (L.) WALP.)

Published on Nov 04, 2019 11:49 AM

Manifestation of heterosis for pod yield and its four components, plant height/vine length,
pods/plant, pod length, and pod weight, was examined in relation to genetic divergence of
the parents and specific combining ability status of the crosses in a diallel cross of cowpea.
Genetic divergence of parents was estimated by Mahalanobis 0 2 statistic. Heterosis did not
always occur in crosses between widely divergent parents, but in some crosses which
involved much less divergent parents. It appeared that the frequency of heterotic crosses
as well as magnitude of heterosis was much related to the specific combining ability status
of the crosses. However, consideration of genetic divergence of the parents involved in the
crosses along with positive sea status of the crosses would prove to be useful in
predicting heterosis.
 

Keywords: Cowpea, heterosis, combining ability, genetic divergence.

Info

Year: 1993
Volume: 53
Issue: 4
Article DOI: NA
Print ISSN: 0019-5200
Online ISSN: 0975-6906

Authors

P. HAZRA, P. K. DAS AND M. G. SOM info_circle

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