Diallel analysis in brown sarson (Brassica rapa L.)

A study was undertaken to estimate the combining ability in brown sarson through diallel analysis involving ten diverse genotypes. The combining ability analysis revealed significant mean squares for general and specific combining ability for all the traits studied. The estimates of variance due to dominance deviation (σ²_D) were much higher than the corresponding additive genetic variance (σ²_A) for all the traits. The predictability ratio was less than unity for all the traits which indicated that performance on general combining ability of parents alone would not be advisable to select materials in segregating generations, but a combination involving both general and specific combining ability of the parents and particular crosses along with their per se performance would be more useful in selecting materials in the segregating generations. None of the parents revealed significant and desirable gca effects for all the traits. The study of sca effects revealed that none of the crosses was a desirable specific combiner for all the traits under study. However, several cross combinations were observed to have highest desirable significant sca effects for these traits.