HETEROSIS STUDIES FOR SEED YIELD AND ITS COMPONENTS IN EXPERIMENTAL HYBRIDS BASED ON CMS LINES IN SAFFLOWER (Carthamus tinctorius L.)

Abstract

Thirty safflower hybrids resulting from Line x Tester model involving 2 females and15 males were evaluated
during rabi 2013-14 to estimate the magnitude of heterosis, heterobeltiosis and standard heterosis over two checks
viz., AKS 207 and PKV Pink for seed yield and its contributing traits. The highest and significant heterosis to the extent
of 63.95 per cent over mid parent and 55.20 per cent over the better parent for number of seeds per capsule was
recorded in the cross AKS CMS 3A x GMU 2900 and over the best check it was noted for number of primary branches
per plant (37.52 %) in cross AKS CMS 3A x GMU 801.For the trait seed yield per plant, number of capsules per plant,
100 seed weight and number of seeds per capsulethe highest and significant heterosis over the best check was
recorded by the cross AKS CMS 3A x GMU 2952(23.27%), AKS CMS 3A x GMU 801(32.97 %), AKS CMS 3A x GMU
3420 (29.89 %) and AKS CMS 3A x AKS 207(25.21%), respectively. The cross combination AKS CMS 3A x GMU
2952 was found to record highest useful heterosis for seed yield per plant, seed volume weight and plant height.
Further, a cross AKS CMS 2A x GMU 801 was found better than both the checks for earliness. Out of 30 crosses, AKS
CMS 3A x GMU 2952, AKS CMS 3A x GMU 801 and AKS CMS 3A x GMU 3420, found to be better on the basis of mean
performance and heterosis response. However, these crosses do not have practical value to be exploited at commercial
level due to low level of useful heterosis mainly for oil content, seed yield per plant and seed volume weight. Hence,
more number of cross combinations should be evaluated using different male parents to enhance the yield ceiling of
safflower through hybrid strategy.