The present investigation was carried out with a set of eight varieties of linseed and their twenty eight F1s obtained through
diallele crossing excluding reciprocals. The eight parents their 28 F1S and the 28 respective F2s were grown in a randomised
block design during Rabi season of 2012 and studied for fifteen quantitative characters. The analysis of variance showed
highly significant differences among the genotypes for all the characters studied except days to maturity in F1s as well as
F2s. Heterosis for seed yield per plant was found to be highest in JLS-9 X KL-221 over better parent as well as over
standard variety. Oil content is an important qualitative character in which the cross LMS-149-4 X RLC-76 recorded
maximum heterosis over better parent (17.16 percent), while that over the standard variety (13.57 percent) was recorded by
the cross Meera X KL-221. Whereas, inbreeding depression in F2s for seed yield per plant was found to be highest in the
cross JLS-9 X RLC-76. Negative estimates of heterotic effects observed in some traits may be attributed to inter-allelic
interactions. No clear-cut relationship between heterosis and inbreeding depression was observed for seed yield, related
traits and qualitative characters. Superior segregants from the cross, JLS-9 X KL-221 may be selected for further
improvement in the seed yield and its contributing traits.
Key Words: Fatty acids profile, Heterosis, Inbreeding depression, Linseed, Seed yield, Oil content