Combining Ability Analysis For Some Quantitative Characters in Linseed

Diallel analysis involving eight varieties of linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) revealed that among cultivars tested, DPL-21 and Himalini were good general combiners for seed yield and most of the yield components. The parental lines with positive gca effects for capsule and tiller number per plant were good general combiners for seed yield also. The parental performance per se was also a good indicator of its gca effect for these traits. Therefore, parental lines with high capsule and tiller number should preferably be used in hybridization programme. Also, as neither any of the varieties was a superior general combiner for all the traits, nor any particular cross showed high sea effects for all the attributes studied, improvement in individual components and certain associated characters may be a suitable approach.