Heterosis, combining ability and gene action studies in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

Heterosis and combining ability effects were estimated for yield and quality attributes in Line x tester crossing programme using 18 genetically diverse parents involving thirteen as lines and five as testers, developed 65 F1’s revealed that high sca were recorded in cross combinations Meghalaya local x H-88-78-2(1 .44), Punjab Chhuhara x DVRT-2 (1.41), H-88-87x H-88-78-2 (1.05), H-24xEC-521 080(1.03) and H-24xH-86 (1.01) for yield and quality attributes. Among the parents FLA-7421 (plant height), TLBR-3 (number of primary branches), H-88-87( days to first flowering), H-88-78-2 (days to first picking), Meghalaya Local (fruits / plant), H-88-78-2 (yield kg/plant), Vaibhav (pericarp thickness), TLBR-5 (less locules number / fruit), H-88-78- 2 (fruit dry matter content) and Arka Vikas (TSS) were found good general combiners. Hence, these parents may be used as one of the parents in tomato hybrid/variety development programme. The gene action studies indicated that there was preponderance of non additive gene effect for most of the traits under study. However, additive gene action was also involved in characters namely number of fruit/ plant, number of locules/fruit, and yield/plant. Therefore for the improvement of yield and quality in tomato both heterosis breeding and progeny selection will be equally important.