Estimation of combining ability and heterosis by using diallel mating design in Kabuli genotypes of chickpea

An experiment consisting of six parents and 15 hybrids (developed by using 6 x 6 half diallel mating design) in kabuli chickpea was laid out in RBD design with three replications to estimate combining ability and heterosis. The ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) for different characters revealed highly significant differences among genotypes for all traits under study.The estimates of SCA variance were found to be higher than the GCA variance for all the characters under consideration, indicating good prospects for exploitation of non-additive gene action for grain yield and its components under study. Estimates of the ratio of gca variances to the sca variances for all the characters is less than one indicating the preponderance of non-additive gene effects (dominance and epistasis) in controlling the expression of all the characters under study. Line KAK2 was identified as good general combiner for plant height, canopy width, number of secondary branches per plant, number of pods per plant, pod length, grain yield per plant, biological yield per plant, 100 seed weight and harvest index. High estimates of heterosis over better parent, mid parent and standard check was exhibited by three crosses viz., PKC1 × HK4, KAK2 × HK4 and JGK1 × HK4.