Heterosis for yield in Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L. Mill sp.)

Three genic male sterile lines and ten testers were crossed in a line x tester mating design. The parents (for male sterile parents corresponding maintainer lines were used) as well as hybrids were evaluated for days to 50% flowering, plant height, number of branches/plant, number of clusters/plant, number of pods/plant, 100 grain weight and grain yield/plant. Among 30 hybrids, 13 hybrids exhibited significant and positive heterosis over all the three bases of estimation. The two hybrids viz., MS Prabhat DT x ICPL 88009 (L2 x T3) and MS Prabhat DT x ICPL (L1 x T6) showed highly significant and positive heterosis over mid, better and standard parent. In general, the proportion of hybrids exhibiting significant heterotic effect for grain yield with genic male sterile line MS Prabhat DT was greater as compared to lines, MS Prabhat NDT and MS CO 5. The male parents viz., ICPL 88009 (T3), ICPL 89008 (T4), ICPL 84023 (T6) showed significant and positive heterosis with female lines MS Prabhat DT and MS Prabhat NDT for grain yield/plant.