physicochemical

J.Res. ANGRAU 39(1&2)20-24, 2011
HETEROSIS FOR YIELD AND YIELD ATTRIBUTING TRAITS IN SAFFLOWER,
(Carthamus tinctorius L.)
D.SHIVANI, CH. SREELAKSHMI and C.V. SAMEER KUMAR
Agricultural Research Station, Tandur,
Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad - 501 141
ABSTRACT
Heterobeltiosis and standard heterosis for seed yield and its attributes was studied in 20 hybrids developed
through line x tester mating design (4 high yielding lines and 5 wilt resistant testers) in safflower. Significant positive
heterosis over better parent (BP) and standard heterosis (SC) for seed yield ranged from 10.28% to 43.58% and -
0.65% to 44.31%, respectively. The cross combinations Manjira x GMU 1702 (44.31%) and A-1 x GMU 2914-15
(39.36%) exhibited significant positive standard heterosis over Manjira for seed yield. These superior crosses also
exhibited significant and positive heterosis for number of capitula per plant, number of seeds per capitulum and test
weight. Hybrid vigour of superior crosses may be exploited commercially after verifying the stability performance
across the environments over years.
Keywords: Heterobeltiosis, standard heterosis,
safflower
Exploitation of heterosis has been an
important breeding tool in safflower in the recent years.
With the availability of male sterile sources in
safflower, exploitation of heterosis on commercial
scale has become feasible and economical . After
the release of first safflower hybrid DSH- 129, few
high yielding hybrids have been released for
commercial cultivation. Though per se performance
of parental lines provides clues, reliable information
on magnitude of heterosis and combining ability of
parent for yield and its component characters involved
in the inheritance of different characters are of more
helpful in selecting appropriate parents and desirable
cross combination for commercial exploitation of
hybrid vigour. The present study was, therefore
undertaken to determine the extent of heterobeltiosis
and standard heterosis in safflower and to identify
heterotic hybrids.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The experimental material comprised of four
high yielding varieties as lines viz., Nira, HUS 305,
Manjira and A-1 and five wilt resistant testers (male
parents) viz., GMU 1702, GMU 1946, GMU 2914-16,
GMU 3272 and GMU 6915 obtained from Directorate
of Oilseeds Research, Hyderabad. The parents were
crossed in line x tester mating design and the
resulting 20 hybrids along with 9 parents were
evaluated in randomized block design with three
replications during rabi, 2008-09 at Agricultural
Research Station, Tandur. Each entry was planted
in 4 rows of 5m length keeping 45cm row to row and
20 cm plant to plant distance. Recommended
package of practices was followed for raising a normal
crop. Observations on five randomly selected
competitive plants were recorded for eight traits
(Table1). However, days to 50% flowering and days
to maturity were recorded on plot basis. Each
character was analyzed using the techniques
suggested by Panse and Sukhatme (1967) and
heterosis in F 1
hybrids was estimated over better
parent and standard check, Manjira.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Analysis of variance for parents and their
hybrids for different traits revealed significant
differences for all the traits suggesting the presence
of considerable genetic variation in respect of various
traits studied. Parents vs. hybrids comparisons were
significant for plant height, number of seeds per
capitula and seed yield (Table 1). This indicated the
presence of overall heterosis for the characters
studied.
Earliness in flowering is highly desirable trait
for a crop like safflower to fit in various cropping
sequences. Hence, the crosses exhibiting heterosis
in negative direction are of immense value for
earliness. Hybrids, HUS 305 x GMU 2914-15 (-7.11%)
and A-1 x GMU 2914-15 (-6.69%) exhibited significant
and maximum negative standard heterosis for days
to 50% flowering. For early maturity, hybrids A-1 x
GMU 3272 (-4.69% and -2.40%) and HUS 305 x GMU
email ID: rishith_sree@rediffmail.com
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