Abstract

                                Line x tester analysis was performed using 12 lines and four testers of groundnut for pod number and pod yield / plant. Both the characters had the preponderance of variances due to specific combining ability indicating the non-additive gene action for these characters. The parents CO 3, TNAU 359, COGn 4 and TAG 24 were considered as desirable parents and could be used in production breeding programme. Among the hybrids, CO 3 x TKG 19 A and CO 3 x TAG 24 had high per se performance for pods / plant and pod yield / plant. These crosses were derived from high x medium or high x high general combining ability of the parents, and would be used for further selection to obtain high yielding segregants in the segregating generation.

Key words : Groundnut, lines, testers, high yield, combining ability, gene action.