Heterosis and combining ability for fruit yield and its component traits in pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata Duch. ex Poir.)

Combining ability and magnitude of heterosis were studied for eight characters in 5 × 5 full diallel cross of pumpkin. Combining ability analysis revealed that both general and specific combining ability variances were significant for all the characters except first female flowering node. Predominance of additive gene action was noted for all characters except first female flowering node and 100 seed weight whereas non-additive gene action was predominant. The parent P2 was the best general combiner for vine length, fruit weight, flesh thickness and yield. The crosses P3 × P1, P3 × P2, P4 × P3 and P5 × P3 were observed to be promising combinations for earliness and other desirable characters including yield per plant. The selection could be made for improvement of traits like vine length, days to first female flowering, fruit weight, flesh thickness, number of fruits per plant and yield per plant. While first female flowering node and 100 seed weight may be improved through hybridization