Heterosis for yield and yield components in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill).

A trial comprising 15 hybrids and 8 parental lines was in conducted a randomized block design with three replications during winter 2010–11 at Vegetable Research Farm, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India. Heterosis was estimated in fifteen single experimental cross hybrids, obtained by five parental lines namely H-24, DT-2, CO-3, Punjab Upma, Pant T-3 and three testers of tomato viz. Floradade, Kashi Sharad, Azad T-5 for yield and yield related traits; plant height, days to 50% flowering, number of fruits per plant, average fruit weight, fruit diameter, number of fruits per cluster and total yield per plant. Significant differences among genotypes were observed for all the traits. Positive and highly significant heterosis was found for number of fruits per plant 25.27%, 25.13% and 21.13% over better parent and 29.95%, 25.27% and 24.46% over standard parent and for total yield per plant 32.06%, 18.34%, 13.36% and 11.27% over better parent and 31.83%, 31.14%, 30.10% and 25.26% over standard check ‘Azad T-5’. The hybrid also showed significantly high percentage of positive heterosis over better and standard parent for number of fruits per cluster, average fruit weight and the hybrids showed negative heterosis for plant height and day to 50% flowering which are desirable characters.