ESTIMATE OF HETEROSIS IN BITTER GOURD

Abstract

Heterotic performance of biller gourd hybrids was studied in a set of 5 x 5 diallel cross excluding reciprocals. Analysis of variance indicated highly significant differences for all the characters suggesting the presence of genetic variability among the studied materials. The degree of heterosis was higher for days to first male flower opening, days to first female flower opening, nodes to first female flower. days to first harvest, fruit length, seeds per fruit, branches per vine, fruits per plant and while relatively lower for remaining traits. The hybrids 1', x P, 1', x 1', and 1', x 1', performed earlier compared to mid and better parents. Hybrids PI x P" P, x P" 1', x P, manifested the higher heterosis over mid parent and better parent for fruits per plant while 1', x 1'" PI x 1', for fruit weight. The highest significant positive mid parent heterosis for yield per plant was obtained from the cross 1'2 x 1', (1130 I percent) followed by 1', x P, (78.65 percent), P, x P, (59.30 percent) and PI x P, (50.59 percent) while the highest positive better parent heterosis was obtained for yield per plant in P, x 1', (9425 percent) followed by P, x 1', (4920 percent).