Studies on Heterosis in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)

Throughout the last century, tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) breeding has been based on various standard methods, which has ultimately resulted in the development of improved tomato cultivars and hybrids having high quality and yield attributes. In the present study, a total of 25 entries consisting of 13 diversified genotypes of tomato along with their 12F1 hybrids were evaluated during two consecutive rabi seasons. Data on quantitative characters were recorded and percent mid-parent heterosis and better-parent heterosis were determined. Pronounced heterosis over better- parent was observed for fruit yield plant-1(148.82%), fruiting clusters plant-1(111.64%), fruits plant-1 (103.33%), fruit weight(62.79%) and plant height(50.57%). The expression of fruit yield heterosis in the best crosses was realized through differential expression of heterosis in various yield contributing traits. Selection of crosses on the basis of performance per se seems to be reliable than selection based on the manifestation of heterosis alone.