Combining Ability in Chickpea

Eight chickpea lines and their 28 F1 were studied for combining ability analysis. It was observed that nonadditive type of gene action was prominent for number of branches, pods per plant, seeds per pod, and grain yield per plant. However, for days to flowering, maturity, plant height, and 100-grain weight, additive type of gene action was important. The parents, Chafa and Dohad Yellow were good combiners for grain yield, pods per plant and seeds per pod, and BEG 482 for grain yield and 100-grain weight. Jyoti was a good combiner for seeds per pod with grain yield per plant. For flowering and maturity good combining parents were Chafa, JG 62 and BG 212, while BEG 482 was good combining parent for number of branches. For the exploitation of additive genetic variability normal pedigree method and diallel selective mating system for population breeding for nonadditive genetic variability have been suggested for improvement in chickpea.