Gene action, heterosis and combining ability studies for economic traits in diallel crosses of lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus).

Diallel analysis was used to understand the nature of gene effects to determine the nature, magnitude and direction of heterosis and to identify promising single cross based on mean performance, heterosis, GCA and SCA effect and to dissect the kind of gene action governing the economic traits in lentil. Eight lentil parents and their 28 F1S (excluding reciprocals) along with 2 checks were evaluated. Among parents, investigation of highest gca effects illustrated that PL 406 and L 4188 were good general combiners for most of yield. Cross PL 7 x PL 406 showed better parent as well as standard heterosis over check for maximum number of traits viz., harvest index, pods per cluster, seeds per pod and secondary branches per plant and yield. Both additive and non-additive gene actions were involved in governing the inheritance of traits. This study suggests, even parents with poor GCA possess the potential to produce heterotic crosses. The manifestation of high amount of heterosis for seed yield and component traits by a large number of crosses suggest for the need to maintain heterozygosity in the population for maximum expression of the traits in desired direction.