Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is a valuable oilseed crop, and effective improvement of seed yield requires an understanding of the relationships among yield-contributing traits. This study assessed genotypic and phenotypic correlations and path coefficients for seed yield and nine contributing traits in 30 sesame genotypes. The experiment was conducted under irrigated conditions at the College of Agriculture, Latur, during summer 2025–26 using a randomised block design with two replications. Data were recorded for days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, plant height, number of branches per plant, number of capsules per plant, capsule length, number of seeds per capsule, 1000-seed weight, oil content, and seed yield per plant. Analysis of variance indicated significant differences among the genotypes for all ten traits. Seed yield per plant showed significant positive correlations with 1000-seed weight, number of seeds per capsule, number of capsules per plant, and plant height at both genotypic and phenotypic levels. Path analysis showed that 1000-seed weight had the largest positive direct effect on seed yield, followed by number of seeds per capsule and number of capsules per plant. Plant height contributed mainly through indirect effects involving these yield components. The findings indicate that 1000-seed weight, number of seeds per capsule, and number of capsules per plant may serve as useful selection criteria for improving seed yield in the evaluated germplasm. Validation across seasons and environments is required before these traits are adopted as stable breeding criteria.
V. W. Panchal, S. T. Rathod, P. Wadikar et al.· International Journal of Pla...· 0 citations
Aims: To evaluate the combining ability, determine the nature of gene action governing yield, oil content and associated traits, and identify superior parents and promising hybrid combinations for sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) improvement.
Study Design: Line × tester mating design.
Place and Duration of Study: Oilseeds Research Station, Latur, Maharashtra, India, during kharif 2025 (hybrid development) and rabi 2025–26 (field evaluation).
Methodology: Six cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) lines and seven restorer lines were crossed in a line × tester mating design to generate 42 hybrids. The resulting hybrids, along with their 13 parents and three standard checks, were evaluated in a randomised block design with two replications for ten agro-morphological and quality traits. Data were subjected to analysis of variance, line × tester analysis to estimate general and specific combining ability, and assessment of gene action following the method of Kempthorne (1957).
Results: Analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences among the genotypes for all the traits studied, indicating substantial genetic variability. Line × tester analysis showed significant GCA and SCA effects for most traits, with non-additive gene action predominating for seed yield and several associated traits. Among the parents, NDCMS 2A and CMS 597A were identified as good general combiners among the lines, while NDL20, NDL3 and GMU847 were the most desirable testers for seed yield, oil content and associated traits. The crosses NDCMS 2A × NDL20, CMS 597A × NDL20, CMS 597A × NDL3, CMS 852A × GMU847 and CMS 597A × HOCL-20R exhibited desirable specific combining ability effects coupled with superior per se performance, indicating their potential for exploitation in sunflower hybrid breeding.
Conclusion: The findings indicated the involvement of both additive and non-additive gene action in the inheritance of yield, oil content and associated traits in sunflower, with the predominance of non-additive gene action for most of the characters. The identified superior combiners and promising hybrid combinations provide valuable genetic resources for the development of high-yielding and high-oil sunflower hybrids and can be effectively utilised in future sunflower breeding programmes.
Surya Prakash Sharma, M. V. Dhuppe, S. Pole et al.· Plant cell biotechnology and...· 0 citations
We use cookies to run the site and, with your consent, for analytics and to show ads.
See our Cookie Policy.
