Exploitation of heterosis for different quantitative characters in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

The experimental material for the present study comprised of F1 population of twenty four crosses, developed by crossing four female parents viz. Sheetal, Shubhangi, Himangi, and Punakhira of cucumber with six male parents viz., AAUC-2, DC-2, AAUC-1, VRC-19, DARL-103 and Fansu local. The experiment was laid out with 24 F1s, 4 females 6 males and one check Konkan kakadi in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with two replications during the kharif 2017. Observations were recorded on thirteen different quantitative characters. Higher yield is the basic objective of all crop improvement programmes. The best five hybrids were identified with respect to marketable yield per vine based on significant highest appreciable positive heterosis were viz., Sheetal x Fansu local, Sheetal x VRC-19, Puna khira x VRC-19, Puna khira x Fansu local and Sheetal x AAUC-2.