Heterosis and inbreeding depression for seed yield, its components and qualitative characters in linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.)

Sohan Ram¹, Ekhlaque Ahmad²

¹Department of Plant Breeding & Genetics, Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi-834006, Jharkhand

²Zonal Research Station (Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi), Chianki, Palamau-822102, Jharkhand

Received: 15 October 2016                               Revised Accepted: 11 November 2016

ABSTRACT

The present investigation was carried out with a set of eight varieties of linseed and their twenty eight F₁’s obtained through diallele crossing excluding reciprocals. The eight parents their 28 F_1S 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