This article presents the results of a comprehensive assessment of the manifestation of true and competitive heterosis in spring rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) hybrids that were developed using the Polima cytoplasmic male sterility system. The studies were conducted under the forest-steppe conditions of the Central Chernozem region of Russia in 2024–2025. The study subjects included F1 hybrids, sterile maternal lines with the Polima CMS system, fertility restorer lines (Rf lines), and the standard variety Ratnik. The evaluation was based on key economically important traits that determine seed productivity and biochemical seed characteristics, such as the pod number per plant, seed weight per plant, oil content, and protein content. The manifestation of heterosis was found to vary depending on the hybrid combination and trait analyzed. The LHS-1 × HYFR-2 (S2) hybrid exhibited the most pronounced positive true and competitive heterosis in terms of pod number and seed weight per plant, with true heterosis values reaching 30.5–32.5%. The degree of phenotypic dominance indicated superdominance of the traits. In terms of oil content, this hybrid also outperformed the parent lines, reaching 44.3%. The maximum protein content (up to 29.1%) was observed in the Sample No. 5 × HYFR-2 (S2) hybrid combination. These results demonstrate the potential for using the Polima CMS system in developing spring rapeseed hybrids and for identifying parent material for further breeding work.
Onion (
Allium cepa
L.) is the second most commonly produced and consumed vegetable worldwide. In West Africa, high heat and moisture are key constraints for onion productivity during the rainy-season. This study aimed to assess the combining ability, heterosis, and genetic variability of five onion genotypes and 10 F
1
hybrids generated through a half diallel mating design to identify superior parental lines and hybrids adapted to heat and moisture conditions.
The experiment involved five parents: Prema 178, EW001, Violet d’Abéché, Violet de Galmi and AC980. The trials were implemented on station at the World Vegetable Center in Samanko by using a randomized complete block design. Twelve morphological, physiological, and agronomic traits were evaluated.
Analysis of variance showed substantial genetic variability. Significant general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) effects indicated that both additive and non-additive gene actions influence key traits. The best general combiner was Parent P1 (Prema 178), which had the best positive GCA effects on plant survival rate (5 and 4.98), plant height (2.36 and 2.53), number of bulbs (5.82 and 3.38), and bulb yield (2.09 and 2.44). The hybrids P4×P5 (Violet de Galmi x AC980) and P1xP5 (Prema 178×AC980) had the most positive SCA effects and the best heterosis values over the midparent (105.26%) and better parent (94.56%) for bulb yield, as well as strong vigor and root growth.
These results demonstrate that the hybrids P4×P5, P1×P5, and P3×P5 are good candidates for multilocation testing in high heat and high moisture prone conditions.
A. Traore, J. Tignégré, Z. Kiébré et al.· Frontiers in Horticulture· 0 citations
Sunflower is an important oilseed crop, and the development of productive hybrids depends on the identification of suitable parental lines and superior cross combinations. The present investigation was carried out to identify the best general combiners among the parental lines and hybrids with good specific combining ability and heterosis for yield and its component traits. The study evaluated four cytoplasmic male-sterile lines, six fertility restorer lines and 24 experimental hybrids during Kharif 2024 at the Regional Agricultural Research Station, Nandyal. The analysis of variance showed a significant line × tester interaction for all traits except plant height. Among the lines, NDCMS 30A was identified as the best general combiner for days to 50% flowering, 100-seed weight and seed yield. Among the testers, NDI 55 was identified as the best general combiner for days to 50% flowering and seed yield. Among the hybrids evaluated, NDCMS 30A × NDI 55 and CMS 234A × NDI 36 recorded significant specific combining ability effects for 100-seed weight and seed yield. Furthermore, the heterosis estimates of 24 hybrids for yield traits revealed that NDCMS 30A × NDI 55 and CMS 148A × NDLR 32 showed significant positive heterobeltosis and standard heterosis for seed yield. The study revealed that NDCMS 30A × NDI 55, CMS 234A × NDI 36 and CMS 148A × NDLR 32 were promising in terms of specific combining ability and heterosis and may be further exploited for the development of inbred lines and the improvement of hybrid vigour in sunflower.
B. V. P. Reddy, K. Venkataramanamma, K. Prabhakar et al.· Journal of Scientific Resear...· 0 citations
Indian mustard belongs to the family Brassicaceae and the genus Brassica and is a major oilseed crop cultivated in India. Worldwide, it is the third-ranked oilseed crop in terms of consumption after palm oil and soybean. However, productivity remains below its potential because of various biotic and abiotic stressors coupled with a narrow genetic base, highlighting the need to broaden the genetic base and exploit heterosis to develop superior cultivars. Therefore, in the present study, general and specific combining ability analyses were conducted to assess the combining abilities of the parents and the performance of hybrids at the Zonal Agricultural Research Station, Morena, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Agricultural University, Gwalior, M. P., India, during Rabi 2026. During the present investigation, 16 yield-attributing traits were evaluated using 10 lines, 3 testers, and their thirty F1 hybrids developed through a line × tester mating design to estimate the magnitude and direction of combining abilities. Among the lines and testers, GCA effects showed that parents viz., Pusa Bold, Rohini, Varuna, and Vardhan were good general combiners because they exhibited desirable negative and highly significant GCA effects for days to 50% flowering, days to siliquae initiation, and plant height. However, Pusa Bold was recognized as a good general combiner because it displayed positive and highly significant GCA effects for the maximum number of quantitative traits, including seed yield per plant and harvest index. The cross-combination Pusa Jagannath × PAB-2014-4 had the highest SCA effect for seed yield per plant, biological yield, number of siliquae per plant and number of primary branches per plant, while Maya × PAB-2014-8 showed high SCA effects for seed yield per plant, biological yield and number of siliquae on the main raceme.
Soyal Davalasab Wathar, M. K. Tripathi, Jagendra Singh et al.· Plant cell biotechnology and...· 0 citations
Background: Pisum sativum L. is an important pulse crop with high nutritional content. However, its productivity is facing major challenge due to sodicity. So, the present investigation was carried out to identify the superior hybrids in field pea. Methods: Diallel design (excluding reciprocals) was done with ten parental lines to produce forty-five F1s and were tested for heterosis, combining ability and variability for yield and its related traits. Result: Analysis of variance revealed significant difference between parents and hybrids for all traits, with pod length showing higher significance in hybrids. The cross-Pant P 514 × HFP 1802 exhibited outstanding seed yield with positive and highly significant heterosis over better parent. SCA variance exceeded GCA variance for most of the traits, indicating non-additive gene action; HFP1424 and IPFD 21-5 were identified has a good general combiner, while several crosses showed high SCA effects. High GCV, PCV with high heritability and genetic advance suggest their importance for further programs breeding.
Aryan Raghuvanshi, Chinthalapalli Ajay Chandra, R. Hyndhavi et al.· Legume Research An Internati...· 0 citations
This study evaluated heterosis and selected genetic parameters for 14 quantitative traits in brinjal (eggplant). Eight lines and three testers were crossed in a line × tester design to produce 24 F1 hybrids, which were evaluated during the rabi and kharif seasons of 2022–23. The experiment was conducted at the College Farm, College of Horticulture, Jagudan, and the Fruit Research Station, Dehgam, using a randomised block design with three replications. Standard agronomic practices were followed, and observations were recorded from six selected plants per treatment across replications for plant height, plant spread, flowering and picking traits, fruit yield, phenolic content and related characters. Heterosis was expressed as the percentage increase or decrease relative to the better parent (heterobeltiosis) and the standard check (standard heterosis). For plant height at 90 DAT, several crosses exhibited positive heterosis, with L5 × T1 and L7 × T2 recording the highest pooled standard heterosis values. L5 × T1 also performed best for plant height at the last picking and showed consistently favourable heterosis for plant spread in both the E–W and N–S directions. Desirable negative heterosis for days to first flower initiation and days to first picking was recorded in L3 × T1, L2 × T1 and L5 × T1. L3 × T1 and L5 × T1 exhibited desirable positive heterosis for days to last picking. These crosses may be useful for improving growth and flowering traits in brinjal, subject to further evaluation for yield, quality and stability.
N. Nadoda, H. R. Barot, D. Barot et al.· International Journal of Pla...· 0 citations
Aims: The experiment was conducted to study the general combining ability (GCA) of the parental lines and the specific combining ability (SCA) of the hybrids.
Study Design: Randomised block design
Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at the Field Experimentation Centre of the Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Naini Institute of Agriculture, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology & Sciences, Prayagraj (UP), during 2022-23 and 2023-24.
Methodology: Four lines and five testers raised in a crossing block were crossed using the line x tester method to produce 20 hybrids during the year. The resultant 20 hybrids, along with nine parents and the check Sharda, were evaluated in a randomised block design with three replications.
Results: The analysis of variance showed highly significant differences among the 30 genotypes for all the characters studied. The hybrid SSF-1870×SSF-1240 showed the highest standard heterosis for seed yield (27.95%), number of capitula (23.83%) and number of secondary branches (17.46%). The hybrid SSF-1870×SSF-18123 showed the maximum relative heterosis of 67.84% for seed yield. The hybrid SSF-1871×SSF-1704 showed the maximum standard heterosis for oil content (14.15%), and the highest heterosis over the mid-parent for oil content was recorded by the hybrid SSF-1870×SSF-1872 (32.89%). Combining ability analysis indicated that the mean sums of squares due to SCA were higher than those due to GCA for all the traits studied, indicating the predominance of non-additive gene action among the hybrids. Among the parents, SSF-1870 and SSF-1883 emerged as consistently good general combiners across several traits, whereas none of the hybrids exhibited consistently high specific combining ability across the majority of the traits studied.
Conclusion: Among the parents, the line SSF-1870 and the tester SSF-1883 were found to be good general combiners for most of the traits, including number of secondary branches, number of capitula, harvest index, seed yield per plant, and number of seeds per capitulum.
A. Barhate, Garkar Ghrashneshwar Umrao, Jadhav Narsinha Vilas et al.· International Journal of Pla...· 0 citations
