Abstract:The experiment entitled
“Diallel cross analysis for growth (earliness), fruit yield and quality traits in bottle gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standl.]” was carried out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications having each experimental unit of single row with spacing of 3 m x 0.5 m. The investigation were carried out at MES Vegetable Science, Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Narendra Nagar (Kumarganj), Ayodhya during Zaid, 2017 and 2018 with the objectives for to estimate heterosis over better-parent and standard variety for the quantitative traits to planning of an appropriate strategy for development of high yielding bottle gourd hybrid as well as breeding procedure. The materials of experiment consisted of ten diverse parents Pusa Naveen (P
1), NDBG-601 (P
2), PBOG-3 (P
3), NDBG-517 (P
4)
, NDBG-603 (P
5), NDBG-624 (P
6), N. Pooja (P
7), NDBG-100 (P
8), Punjab Komal (P
9), and NDBG-11 (P
10) were crossed in diallel fashion excluding reciprocal to obtained 45 F
1.
Heterosis over better and standard parents for fruit yield per plant, varied from -36.91 (P1 x P4) to 12.15% (P4 x P9) and -24.61 (P1 x P9) to 29.24% (P1 x P2) in Zaid, 2017 (E1), -36.90 (P1 x P4) to 12.24% (P4 x P9) and -24.57 (P1 x P9) to 29.17% (P1 x P2) in Zaid, 2018 (E2) and -36.91 (P1 x P4) to 12.19% (P4 x P9) and -24.59 (P1 x P9) to 29.21% (P1 x P2) in pooled, respectively. Out of 45 F1s the best cross based on desirable and significant heterobeltiosis, per se performance and common crosses for eighteen characters reflect that common crosses based on per se performance and better parent heterosis for fruit yield per plant was P4 x P9 (12.15, 12.24, 12.19%) in both the seasons and pooled.