Combining Ability for Yield and Fruit Quality in<i>Luffa</i>

Abstract

The mating design (Line and Tester) has been extensively used to estimate general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) variance and their effects. This design is also used to understand the nature of gene action involved in expression of economically important traits. Diallel analysis and combining ability in Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb have not been extensively reported. Combining ability of 13 traits was examined in 45 Luffa hybrids derived from a 10 × 10 diallel mating design (excluding reciprocals) at two sowing dates and two locations. Additive and nonadditive genes were important for traits. The interaction of SCA × Location was not significant for traits except for days to opening of first female flower. Additive gene effects were more important for vine length, days to opening of the first male flower, number of male and female flowers/plant, number of nodes, number of fruit/plant, fruit length, fruit diameter, and number of seed/fruit. ‘Slumber Long’ was the best combiner, among 10 parental lines, for fruit yield/plant and fruit size. Crosses involving diverse parents and showing high SCA effects for fruit yield/plant have the potential to be utilized in Luffa improvement through simple recurrent selection.