Combining ability analysis for yield and yield contributing traits in exotic and Indian tomato (Solanum lycopersicon L)

Combining abilities for yield and its component traits were examined in tomato to understand the inheritance pattern of these traits and to identify genotypes suitable for genetic improvement for yield. The experiment comprising a total of 64 treatments (28 F1 + 28 F2 and 8 parents) was laid out in RBD. The estimates of analysis of variance due to general and specific combining ability indicated that both additive as well as non-additive gene effects played an important role in the expression of almost all characters. The gca effect revealed stable performance of parents P1 (Gujarat Tomato 1) and P2 (Pusa Ruby) and their gca effects in F1 and F2 generations indicating feasibility of selection of parents over the generations and their use in multiple breeding programs. The sca effects in relation to gca effects of parents showed that most of the cross combinations with high sca effects involved high x high, high x low and low x low gca combiners. Among significant positive sca estimates four crosses viz Pusa Ruby x Ec 163599, Ec 490130 x Ec 398704, Pusa Ruby x H 24 and Ec 490130 x Ec 177371 exhibited stable performance over the generations indicating their suitability over rest of the crosses when commercial exploitation was considered.