Heterotic potential of male sterility-based cross combinations in brinjal (Solanum melongena L.)

Abstract

The utilization of male sterility-based genetic emasculation
in heterosis breeding will reduce the cost of commercial
hybrid seed production in brinjal. The present investigation
involved the evaluation of 50 male sterility-based hybrid
combinations for testing their heterotic potential for different
fruit and yield traits against the commercial and high-yielding
hybrid PBH-3. Among all D-9991-1 × R-2596/PB-9-3
displayed the highest heterosis for the days to 50 %
flowering (-25.85 %) as well as first fruit harvest (-24.00 %).
D-214-1 × R-6-22-1 was the most heterotic for fruit weight
(31.41%), while D-104-1 × R-2596/PB-9-3 (48.92%) and D-
9991-1 × R-2596/PB-9-3 (47.69%) were at the top for fruits
per plant. D-9991-1 × R-2596-8-1-3 (143.35 %) and D-320-1 ×
R-2596/PB-9-3 (162.17 %) showed the highest and positive
heterosis for anthocyanin and dry matter, respectively, and
D-67-1 × R-2596/PB-9-3 (1.39 %) performed at par with the
check hybrid PBH-3 for total phenols. Among all, four hybrid
combinations viz D-104-1 × R-259-622-1(41.67%), D-104-1 ×
R-2596/PB-9-3(36.25%), D-9991-1 × R-2596/PB-9-3(36.11%),
D-214-1 × R-3-23-1-5 (8.33%) were heterotic for fruit yield.