Estimation of heterosis in relation to combining ability for earliness, yield and quality attributes in pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata Duch. ex Poir.)

Heterosis breeding is a potential tool to achieve improvement in quantity, quality and productivity in pumpkin. An investigation was carried out to study the heterosis and combining ability for earliness and yield characters of 28 hybrids of pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata Duch. ex Poir.) through diallel mating design excluding reciprocals. Evaluation of parents based on per se and general combining ability (gca) effects revealed that the parents Narendra Agrim, Kashi Harit, Punjab Samrat and Pusa Vishwas were identified as potential donors for improvement of earliness and yield characters. Among the 28 cross combinations of pumpkin, the crosses ‘Kashi Harit x Punjab Samrat’ and ‘Narendra Upcar x Suvarna’ were identified most promising based on per se values, significant sca and heterobeltiosis manifested in them. These two hybrids could be exploited at commercial level after critical testing.