Combining ability analysis for yield and its components in pigeonpea using genetic male sterile lines

A study was carried out for analysis of combining ability in pigeonpea using genetic male sterile lines to estimate the nature of gene action for yield and its component traits. Predominance of additive gene action was shown for days to flowering, days to 50 per cent flowering, branches/plant and seeds/plant, whereas non-additive gene action was observed for plant height, pods/cluster, pods/plant, pod length, 100-seed weight and seed yield/plant. Based on overall gca effects, the lines MS CO 9701, MS CO 5 and the testers ICPL 87, CORG 9302 and TAT 93–47 were identified as potential parents as they exhibited significant gca effects for most of the traits. Among the number of crosses with high sca values, the hybrids ‘MS CO 9701’ ‘ICPL 87’, ‘MS CO 9701’ ‘CORG 9302’, MS CO 5 ‘CORG 9302’ ‘MS CO 5’ ‘TAT 93–47’ were the most promising as they were early, dwarf and high yielding.