Combining ability studies and heterosis for yield and its component traits in safflower [Carthamus tinctorius L.].

Evaluation of parents and F1s derived from crossing four well adapted lines and six testers in a line x tester fashion revealed that variance due to sca had higher magnitude than gca variance for all the traits studied indicating that these traits are under the influence of non additive gene action. The line Sagarmuthyalu and tester ASD-07-09 revealed significant gca effects for seed yield per plant. The tester ASD-07-10 recorded significantly negative gca effect for days to 50% flowering. The cross Manjira x GMU 1946, Manjira x SSF 698 and Sagarmuthyalu x ASD-07-09 recorded significantly high sca for seed yield per plant. The cross combinations Manjira x GMU 1946, Sagarmuthyalu x ASD-07-09 and Manjira x SSF 698 exhibited significant and positive heterobeltiosis and standard heterosis for seed yield per plant. These crosses also had significant and positive heterosis for number of capitula per plant, number of seeds per capitulum and test weight and would be more desirable to exploit heterosis in safflower.