Line × Tester analysis for estimation of heterosis in bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.)

Bitter gourd is one of the most popular cucurbitaceous vegetable. The present investigation for the estimation of heterosis in bittergourd was carried out involving 28 cross combinations developed out of seven lines and four testers. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications and evaluated using a standard check. For all the characters under study, highly significant differences were observed among the genotypes. Highly significant differences due to lines were observed for all traits under study except node at which first pistillate flower appears and number of primary branches per plant. Among the hybrids, the crosses Jaunpuri Green × Shaktigopal Local, IC-085611 × OBGCS-1, Preethi × OBGCS-2 and Katheri × Shaktigopal Local exhibited high per se performance as well as high economic heterosis for earliness in flowering with first female at lowest node. The cross combinations Katheri × BGCV-2, Katheri × OBGCS-1 and Katheri × OBGCS-2 were found best which expressed significant positive heterosis over mid parent (50.52, 31.62 and 27.06%), over better parent (37.99, 18.03 and 15.86%) and over standard parent (47.98, 26.57 and 24.24%) respectively for total fruit yield.