Combining Ability and Heterosis of Fruit Quality and Yield Traits of Bitter Gourd (Momordica charantia L.)

Seven improved parental lines of bitter gourd were crossed in diallel pattern to investigate general and specific combining ability along with the extent of heterosis for fruit quality traits and fruit yield in bitter gourd. The techniques of Griffing Method 2 and Model 1 were followed for combining ability analysis. The results revealed that both General Combining Ability (GCA) and Specific Combining Ability (SCA) variances were significant for all the characters. The highest GCA effects were observed in HO-BG 56 for early female flowering, fruit diameter and yield. HO-BG 55 and HO-BG 52 reported highest GCA effects for fruit length and number of fruits per plant, respectively. The highest SCA effect were observed with hybrids of HO-BG 52 X 60 and HO-BG 56 x HO-BG 58 for fruits per plant and average fruit yield respectively. Results indicate the importance of both additive and non additive genetic variance in controlling the above considered characters. The best hybrid based on mid parent heterosis and heterobeltiosis for number of fruits per vine and yield was identified with cross combination of HO-BG 56 x HO-BG 58. Further, two best combinations as judged from SCA estimates for yield, are HO-BG 56 × HO-BG 58 and HO-BG 52 × HO-BG 58. Best performing hybrids were selected for further evaluation towards the recommendation of new bitter gourd hybrids.