Study of Combining Ability and Heterosis in Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus L.) Using Line × Tester Method
Keywords:
Tester, general and specific combinability, heterosis, Helianthus annuus L., AcheneAbstract
This experiment was designed to study the heterosis and combining ability through line × tester method in sunflower at the experimental site of Rajawala farm, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad during spring and autumn 2019. In the spring season, five lines and three testers were crossed by line × tester method to create fifteen crosses. Seeds of lines, testers, and crosses were collected at the end of the spring season. While in the autumn season crosses, lines, and testers were grown according to RCBD by using three replications to check their performance for yield-related traits. Collected data was analyzed through line × tester to identify the gene action that control the yieldrelated parameters. Analysis of variance was used to check significant and non-significant differences. Various lines and testers showed positive GCA for various traits. Among lines, ACC No. 252 showed significant positive GCA for all traits except days to flower initiation and head angle. ACC No. 254 also showed positive GCA for achenes yield per plant. While among testers, ACC No. 257 showed positive GCA for achenes yield per plant. ACC No. 252, ACC No. 254, and ACC No. 257 were found as good general combiners. Among crosses, ACC No. 254 × ACC No. 256 showed the highest positive SCA for achenes yield per plant, cross ACC No. 251 × ACC No. 256 expressed significant positive SCA for plant height, number of leaves, and leaf area. Cross ACC No. 253 × ACC No. 257 expressed significant positive SCA for head angle. All crosses also expressed significant positive heterosis for various traits but none of the crosses showed significant positive heterosis for all the traits. The crosses ACC No. 252 × ACC No. 257 and ACC No. 253 ×
ACC No. 257 expressed significant positive heterosis for achenes yield per plant. So these parental combinations can be used in future breeding programs to develop commercial hybrids with higher achenes yield.
