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Heterosis and combining ability experiment in castor were carried in thirty nine crosses combinations along with their three females, thirteen males and one check hybrid (GCH). Among hybrids, thirteen hybrids exhibited significant positive heterobeltiosis for seed yield, of these best three heterotic hybrids in order were SKP 84 × PCS 124 (112.85 per cent) followed by SKP 84 × JI 244 (108.67 per cent) and Geeta × JI 379 (94.07 per cent). Mean squares due to females, males and females × males were significant for all the traits indicating involvement of both additive and non-additive genetic components for most of the traits. On the basis of performance, heterotic response, combining ability estimates, nature of gene action for seed yield per plant and its attributing traits, hybrid Geeta × JI 379 was found superior over the rest hybrids. Several other hybrids had significant heterosis over the standard check in desired direction for days to 50 per cent flowering (30), days to 50 per cent maturity of primary spike (7), plant height (25), number of nodes up to primary spike (28), length of primary spike (18), number of capsules on primary spike (10), number of effective branches per plant (5), total number of branches per plant (7), 100-seed weight (4) and oil content (17).

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