Combining ability and gene action studies of some post-harvest and nutritional quality traits in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L) Kumar Rakesh*, Sharma HR, Thakur Ashok, Aditya Department of Seed Science and Technology, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, 173230, Himachal Pradesh, India *Email for correspondence: rakeshuhfsolan@gmail.com
Online published on 23 January, 2019. Abstract Combining ability and gene action studies were conducted in tomato for fruit processing and nutritional quality traits to select the potential parents for hybridization and to understand the type of gene action involved in expression of pericarp thickness, fruit firmness, total soluble solids, lycopene content, ascorbic acid and shelf-life. The experiment comprising21 treatments (15 F1+ 6 parents) was evaluated in RCBD. The results indicated that all traits included in this study were governed by non-additive gene action and thus it was inferred that all these traits could be improved by heterosis breeding. The parents Solan Lalima and UHF-55 were good general combiners for total soluble solids, lycopene content and ascorbic acid content. On the other hand EC-1055, EC-1057 and EC-1058 were good general combiners for pericarp thickness, fruit firmness and shelf-life and could be utilized in multiple crossing programmes. Cross combinations viz Solan Lalima x EC-1055, Solan Lalima x EC-1057 and Solan Lalima x EC-EC-1058 were the good specific combiners for all quality traits included in this study and could be utilized for heterosis breeding. Top Keywords Diallel analysis, combining ability, gene action, tomato, quality. Top |