Genetics of yield and yield components in safflower

Line x tester analysis was conducted with newly developed nve genetic male sterile lines of samower and ten male parents. The analysis of variance was slgnificant for crosses, parents vs crosses, and line x tester interaction for yield, number of capitula per plant and number of secondary branches. The sca x environment interaction was large for test weight, plant height and number of seeds per capitulum. The sca variance was predominant for all the traits, indicating importance of dominance effects. The parents Annigeri and Bhlma and MS 101 were high combiners. The crosses having high sca effect also had high expression of heterosis.