Combining ability and heterosis in opium poppy (Papaver somniferum L.) Singh Rekha*, Pandey RM** Division of Genetics, Plant breeding and Agrotechnology, National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, 226 001, (Uttar Pradesh), India *Email of corresponding author: rs_gpb@rediffmail.com
**Email of corresponding author: rmp12@rediffmail.com
Online published on 15 October, 2015. Summary General and specific combining ability and heterosis were studied for morphine content, opium yield plant−1, seed yield plant−1, capsule weight plant−1, capsule size, capsule plant−1, plant height and days to 50% flowering involving eight parents and 28 F1s derived from them in diallel excluding reciprocals in opium poppy. Both additive and non-additive genetic variation played important role in the inheritance of all the traits studied. In view of this, selective diallel mating system may prove to be fruitful for development of improved variety through creation of variability followed by selection for desirable character. The non-additive genetic variance, which was larger in magnitude for almost all the characters. Among the parents, BR 233 was identified as the best general combiner for morphine content, while BR 232 was the best general combiner for opium yield plant−1 and capsule weight plant−1. The hybrid BR 233 x BR 242 exhibited the highest magnitude of positive significant sca effects with high positive heterosis over mid parent for morphine content. In general, there was no consistent association between sca effects and heterosis observed among the best hybrids identified. Top Keywords Combining ability, Diallel analysis, Heterosis, Morphine, Opium yield. Top |