Combining ability estimation of gynoecious and monoecious hybrids for yield and earliness in cucumber (Cucumis sativus)

Abstract

Twenty one F₁ hybrids developed from seven diverse inbred of cucumber through a half-diallel mating system. Among parents, gynoecious parent GPC-1 showed maximum GCA effects in desirable direction for node number of first female flower, days to first fruit harvest, number of fruits/plant and vine length. Whereas the another gynoecious parent PPC-2 showed maximum GCA effects in desirable direction for traits like, days to first female flower anthesis, days to fruit set from opening of first female flower, and yield/plant. The monoecious parent Pusa Uday exhibited highest positive GCA effect for fruit length, fruit diameter and average fruit weight. These two gynoecious (GPC-1 and PPC-2) and one monoecious (Pusa Uday) parents were good general combiners for earliness, yield and other yield related traits and could be used in cucumber breeding programmes to improve these traits for the accumulation of favourable genes present in them. In order of merit the gynoecious hybrids P₁ × P₂ (GPC-1 × PPC-2), P₁ × P₇ (PPC- 2 × Pusa Uday), P₁ × P₆ (GPC-1 × Punjab Naveen) followed by monoecious hybrid P₃ × P₇ (DC-1 × Pusa Uday) which exhibited highest SCA effects for number of characters including total fruit yield/plant. Thus, gynoecious lines in combination with gynoecious and monoecious have enormous potential to breed ‘‘suitable gynoecious genotypes for earliness, yield and yield contributing traits”