Combining ability for yield and its components in pumpkin.

Combining ability studies of an 8-parent diallel cross of pumpkin revealed contribution of both additive and nonadditive gene action controlling the expression of yield and its components except average fruit weight which was exclusively regulated by nonadditive gene effect. Epistasis was pronounced for all the characters. A close correspondence was observed between per se performance and combining ability effects for the attributes studied. Among parents, Pusa Vishwas ranked as top general combiner for yield and its components followed by Baidyabati and Ambili. Higher yield was mainly associated with increased number of fruits/plant, average fruit weight and flesh thickness. Most good specific combinations involved high x low general combiners. Exploitation of heterosis appeared to be limited. Ten crosses were identified for developing high yielding genotypes of pumpkin with other desirable characters.