Vol. 7, Issue 7 (2018)

Author(s):
Pallavi, YV Singh, Alka Verma and Manoj Kumar Bansala

Abstract:
The study was carried out to determine combining ability and association of yield with its associated components among crosses that were derived from seven selected cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) parents. Twenty-one hybrids were generated from diallel crosses excluding reciprocals. Hybrids along with seven parents were studied for combining ability for seed yield. The result indicated that the general combining ability (gca) and specific combining ability (sca) were significant for all the characters indicating the importance of both additive and non-additive genetic components. Pant Lobia-5 had good general combining ability for plant height, green pod yield per plant, seed yield per hectare, 100-seed weight and seed weight per plant. Pant Lobia-1 was the best general combiner for number of pods per plant and 100-seed weight whereas, Pant Lobia-2 was found to be good general combiner for number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, seed weight per plant and seed yield per hectare. The parent Pant Lobia-3 was good general combiner for seed yield per hectare, seed weight per plant, number of seeds per pod, and days to pod maturity whereas, PCGP-59 and PCGP-63 were good general combiner for plant height whereas, PVCP-20 was good combiner for pod length and green pod weight per plant. The most promising specific combiners for yield and yield components were from crosses including Pant Lobia-5 x Pant Lobia-2, Pant Lobia-5 x Pant Lobia-3, PVCP-20 x PCGP-59, Pant Lobia-2 x Pant Lobia-1 and PGCP-63 X PGCP-53.