Abstract

                                The present study on heterosis and combining ability for seed yield and its components was carried out in a set of 15 F 1 hybrids of sesame involving five lines and three testers diverse parents at Agricultural college, Bapatla. The ratio of the genetic variance was less than the unity, which indicated the predominance of the non-additive gene action in all the characters studied. The analysis revealed that none of the parents was found as good general combiners for all the traits consistently, however two lines YLM 95, IS 355 and a tester Gowri were found to be good combiners for seed yield and its contributing traits. The hybrids IS 355 x Gowri followed by KMR x Madhavi, YLM 95 x Gowri and IS 355 x Madhavi have exhibited higher heterosis (Average heterosis and Heterobeltiosis) for seed yield. These crosses involved good x poor and poor x poor combiner parents. Further improvement in seed yield could be possible through the hybridization and selection of transgressive segregants.

Key words : Combining ability, Gene action, Heterosis, Line x tester, Sesamum indicum L