Combining Ability Analysis for Yield, Quality, Earliness, and Yield-Attributing Traits in Tomato

Development of hybrids and varieties for better yield and quality traits requires identification of good specific and general combiners. Combining ability studies provide reliable information for selection of parents for hybrid combination by revealing the nature and magnitude of gene actions involved in expression of quantitative traits. Ten diverse parental lines of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) from the Canadian gene bank were crossed with four testers in a Line × Tester mating design. All 40 F1 hybrids, along with their parents, were evaluated. Analysis of variance for combining ability indicated variation for all traits under study due to lines. Crosses for all traits indicated availability of sufficient diversity to choose the best crosses for yield, quality, and yield-attributing traits. Variation due to testers occurred for days to first fruit set, average fruit weight, and average fruit diameter. Among lines and testers, EC95 (line) and ‘CLN 2264F’ (tester) exhibited desirable general combining ability effects for yield and quality and yield-attributing traits. Cross-combinations EC93 × ‘CLN 2264F’ and EC95 × ‘CO3’ exhibited higher specific combining ability for yield and yield-attributing traits; crosses EC86 × ‘CO3’, EC89 × ‘CLN 2264H’, and EC95 × ‘Punjab Chhuhara’ were good for quality attributing traits and crosses EC86 × ‘CO3’, EC88 × ‘Punjab Chhuhara’, EC89 × ‘Punjab Chhuhara’, EC93 × ‘CLN 2264H’, and EC94 × ‘CO3’ were good for earliness, indicating that these crosses may be further tested for commercial utilization.