Abstract

                                Evaluation of 28 nonreciprocal F, hybrids of pumpkin over 2 locations showed the involvement of both additive and non-additive genetic variances regulating the inheritance of yield and its components except average fruit weight which was exclusively controlled by non-additive gene action. Additive gene effect was predominant for earliness, while non-additive gene aciton was preponderant with pronounced epistasis and over dominance for expression of other characters. Prediction of hybrid performance for earliness should be based on gea component which was endured by high fertitability in narrow sense, whereas sea was more important for the remaining traits as also evidenced by low heritability in narrow sense. Reciprocal recurrent selection. biparental mating and/or diallel selective mating was proposed for improvement in carliness and productivity of pumpking withother desirable characters.

Key words : Pumpkin, Combining ability. Gene effect, Additive, Non-additive