for days to 50% fruiting, −64.66 to 6.14% for fruit length, −37.88
to 4.49% for fruit girth, −44.77 to 0.29% for number of fruits per
plant, −40.00 to 7.24% for number of seeds per fruit, −36.36 to 2.68%
for test weight of seed, −69.44 to 28.93% for vitamin C content of
fruit, −58.23 to 36.17% for beta-carotene content of fruit, −31.43 to
46.67% for capsaicin content of fruit, 157.51 to −47.61% for PDI of
leaf curl virus, −49.45 to 71.06% for fruit yield per plant.
The maximum relative heterosis and heterobeltiosis for fruit
yield per plant was exhibited by BCCH Sel-4 × AC-575 followed by
AC-575 × Chaitali along with other economic characters. On the
basis of per se performance, the best hybrid for fruit yield per
plant was BCCH Sel-4 × AC-575 and the top parent was BCCH Sel-4
(Table 3). Such crosses involved parents of intermediate divergence
values.
The values of dominance estimates illustrated in 10 F1 crosses
are presented in Tables 4–7. Plant height showed that potence
ratios ranged from −5.0 to 7.4, and they were more than ±1 for
seven crosses and between ±1 in two crosses and −1 in single
cross indicating over-dominance, partial dominance and complete dominance, respectively. Potence ratio of number of primary
branches/plant varied from −5.0 to 3.0, and they were more than
±1 in nine crosses, indicating over-dominance reaction with the
exception of one cross which showed partial dominance in inheritance of this trait. In case of days to 50% flowering, nine crosses
exhibited over-dominance and one hybrid each showed partial
dominance and complete dominance (±1). Potence ratio of days to
50% fruiting expressed over-dominance in eight crosses excepttwo
where partial dominance (between ±1) and absence of dominance
(0.0) were noticed. Regarding fruit length, eight crosses exhibited
over-dominance and one cross each showed partial dominance and
complete dominance. Fruit girth expressed over dominance in four
crosses, complete dominance in five hybrids and no dominance in
one cross in the inheritance of this trait. In respect to number of
fruit per plant, potence ratios ranged from −7.0 to 1.3, and they
were more than ±1 for two crosses, indicating over-dominance
and between ±1 in seven crosses, indicating partial dominance
and +1 in one hybrid showing complete dominance towards the
higher fruit number. In case of number of seeds per fruit, four
crosses expressed over dominance and five hybrids showed partial dominance and one cross expressed complete dominance. For
test weight of seed and vitamin C content of fruit, six crosses
exhibited over dominance and three hybrids expressed partial
dominance and a single cross showed complete dominance. In
case of beta-carotene content of fruit, six crosses exhibited over
dominance and one hybrid expressed partial dominance and three
crosses showed complete dominance. Regarding capsaicin content
of fruit, six crosses exhibited over dominance and two hybrids
expressed partial dominance, one cross showed complete dominance and one hybrid expressed no dominance. In case of PDI of
leaf curl virus, five crosses exhibited over-dominance; four hybrids
expressed partial dominance with the exception of one hybrid
which showed complete dominance. Fruit yield per plant showed
that potence ratios ranged from −20.0 to 4.2, and they were more
than ±1 for six crosses indicating over-dominance and between
±1 in three crosses showing partial dominance, and ±1 in one
cross, indicating complete dominance in the inheritance of this
character.
3.4. Identification of good general and specific combiners
No single parent was found to be a good general combiner for
all the characters studied. However, the line BCCH Sel-4 exhibited
significant gca effects in desired direction in most of the heterotic
crosses for fruit yield per plant, number of fruits per plant, plant
height, fruit length, vitamin C content of fruit, beta-carotene content of fruit and PDI of leaf curl virus, and was considered as a
good general combiner (Table 8). Next to BCCH Sel-4, significant
gca effects in desired direction for days to 50% flowering, days to
50% fruiting, vitamin C content of fruit, PDI of leaf curl virus and
fruit yield per plant was shown by Chaitali. Therefore, two parents
BCCH Sel-4 and Chaitali could be picked up as potential donors for
fruit yield per plant and other important horticultural traits.
Similarly, no single cross was adjudged as good specific combiner for all the characters studied. The cross BCCH Sel-4 × AC-575
exhibited highly significant sca effects for fruit yield per plant, number of fruits per plant, fruitlength, vitamin C content of fruit and PDI
of leaf curl virus in desired directions (Table 8). Moreover, signifi-
cant sca effects indesired directionfor vitaminC content offruit and
PDI of leaf curl virus by BCCH Sel-4 × Chaitali, and for fruit yield per
plant and fruit girth by AC-575 × Chaitali have been noted. Among
these three crosses, the per se performance of the hybrid BCCH Sel-
4 × A