Background: The findings of the present research will provide an indepth understanding of important parameters contributing to heterosis in pigeonpea. Methods: Combining ability effects and heterosis of crosses were determined among 45 hybrids developed by crossing 10 elite pigeonpea genotypes in half diallel fashion. The combining abilities were estimated by using Griffing’s, Method II and Model I. Result: The SCA followed by MGCA (mean general combinig ability of parents) were observed as the most reliable parameters to predict heterosis. High per se performance of parents and high genetic diversity does not lead to high heterosis. The parents having high x low per se performance, good x poor GCA effects and medium genetic diversity resulted in high frequency of heterotic hybrids. The results indicated that the hybrid Paras x PA 624 exhibited maximum mid parent, better parent and standard heterosis for seed yield.

The present day commercially grown cultivars of pigeonpea are susceptible to pod borer, pod fly insect pest and a number of diseases those causes huge economic loss every year to the farmers. On the other hand wild relative of cultivated pigeonpea possess genes for insect pest/ diseases resistance besides having some other useful genes. Transfer of desirable gene from wild to cultivated pigeonpea is hindered by several pre fertilization barriers. The identification of pre fertilization barriers will help in the introgression of desirable genes for insect pest and diseases resistance into cultivated types for enhancing and stabilizing pigeonpea production. In present investigation crossability barriers between the cultivated Cajanus cajan (PADT-16 and Pusa-992) and wild species Cajanus scarabaeoides (ICP-15683, ICP-15703) and Cajanus platycarpus (ICP-15663) were examined by pre-fertilization parameters like pollen germination, pollen tube growth, and pollen tube abnormalities. In hand-selfing and intervarietal crosses mean pollen germination and pollen tube growth was higher than interspecific crosses. Strong pre-fertilization barriers were observed in C. cajan x C. platycarpus crosses. However in interspecific crosses involving C. platycarpus as female, low level of reproductive barriers were observed when crossed with C. scarabeoides compared to cross with C. cajan, though pollen tube reached ovule in both crosses. More pollen tube abnormalities were observed in interspecific crosses involving cultivated and species from tertiary gene pool. Molecular diversity among experimental material through SSR markers exhibited maximum diversity between cultivated C. cajan and wild C. platycarpus whereas closest relationship was observed between C.scarabeoides ICP-15683 and ICP-15703.

No abstract

Background: Seed shape in chickpea, a less known but not a trivial trait to study, as the possibility to include it in applied breeding aspect is yet to be deciphered. The present study mainly focuses on the study of seed shape classification and its interrelationship with seed quality parameters. Methods: The present study was conducted at the N.E. Borlaug Crop Research Centre, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology in Pantnagar, Uttarakhand. Seed shapes in chickpea were classified into distinct classes like angular, globular and owl headed types, using set of genotypes that constituted all the three seed shapes and corresponding hybrids obtained by crossing them. Result: The Codominance of radicle length and dominance nature of shape of chalazal end was observed in a definite pattern. Angular types were dominant over owl-head and globular types, whereas the globular type was dominant over owl-head type. Angular and globular types had low and high protein content respectively. Globular types would be a key to merge the bi-directionally acting seed traits like protein content and seed weight. From our observations seed shape can be a potential criteria to select for seed protein content. We made clear cut shape classification based on seed components, which could helps in seed shaped based selection in large populations.

No abstract