Heterosis studies for improvement in yield potential of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Abstract. The present study was undertaken with a set of diallel crosses involving six genotypes of bread wheat during Rabi 2008-09 to identify heterotic combinations expressing high hybrid vigour. These informations would be useful to investigate the performance and relationship of F1 hybrids and parents to select suitable parents and population for designing an effective wheat breeding programme. The cross combination Kalyansona x K-8962 followed by Sonalika x K-8962, K-8962 x HUW-234, Kalyansona x HUW234 and HUW-510 x HUW-234 were found top hybrids having high mid-parent heterosis. Negative heterosis for days to flowering and plant height in cross PBW-373 x Kalyansona and HUW-510 x PBW-373 was found desirable. Highly significant heterosis was found for spike length in cross Sonalika x K-8962, tillers per plant in cross HUW-510 x K-8962, number of grains per spike in cross Sonalika x K-8962, test weight in cross PBW-373 x Kalyansona and harvest index in cross Kalyansona x K-8962. It can concluded that the heterosis estimates over mid-parent in the crosses were more frequent for days to flowering, plant height, spike length, number of tillers per plant, grains per spike, test weight and harvest index.