Heterosis and Combining Abilities of Yield Components of CMS Maintainers, Restorer Lines and F1 Hybrids of Chilies (Capsicum annuum L.)

Fruit yields and yield components of certain F1 hybrids, parental lines and commercial varieties in 3 discreet experiments were significantly different. Seven high-yielding F1 hybrids were observed: CA 1286 × CA 1447, CA1286 × CA1450, CA1303 × CA1446, CA1303 × CA1447, CA1303 × CA1450, CA1441 x CA1450 and CA1442 x CA1447. About half of them were significantly higher in yield than commercial varieties while the rest were not significantly different from the commercial varieties. Heterosis and heterobeltiosis of yield components of F1 hybrid chilis were significant. High yielding varieties showed both positive and significant heterosis and heterobeltiosis of all yield components. When maintainer lines, CA1441 and CA1442, were used as female parents, CA1441 was better than CA1442 for fruit length but variety CA1442 was better than variety CA 1441 for fruit width. When maintainer lines CA1286 and CA1303 were used as female parents, CA1303 was better than CA1286 in terms of yield in one experiment but they were more or less the samein another experiment. Significant general combining ability of the maintainer line CA1303 was observed in fruit width. Significant differences of general combining ability of some horticultural characteristics of restorers was observed in CA1446, CA1447, CA1448, CA1449 and CA1450. Almost no significant differences of specific combining ability of F1 hybrids were found in the F1 hybrids, except CA 1286 × CA 1447 and CA1303 × CA1451 demonstrated significant differences of specific combining ability of an average fruit weight.