Combining Ability and Gene Action in Indigenous Bitter Gourd (Momordica charantia L.)

The investigation was carried out to get information regarding magnitude of combining ability and nature of gene action for fruit yield and several other yield attributing traits. The trial was designed by following line × tester mating design involving 12 lines and 3 testers and their 36 hybrids tested in two environments viz., summer and rainy season 2010 at Research Farm of Department of Vegetable Science, N.D. University of Agriculture & Technology, Kumarganj, Faizabad, UP. Estimate of gca effects among the lines NDBT-13, NDBT-15 and NDBT-19 during both seasons and NDBT-10 during summer season and among the testers Kalyanpur Sona during summer season and Pusa Do Mausami during rainy season were identified as superior donor for fruit yield per plant and its yield contributing traits like number of fruits per plant and average fruit weight. Eight crosses in the both seasons for fruit yield per plant displayed desirable significant sca effects. Among these eight crosses the best cross combinations based on desirable sca effects for fruit yield per plant were NDBT-19 × Pusa Do Mousami in summer season while NDBT-8 × Pusa Do Mousami, NDBT-15 × NDBT-12 and NDBT-10 × Pusa Do Mousami in rainy season. These crosses are associated with number of fruits per plant, average fruit weight, fruit diameter and other component traits in both seasons.