Heterosis and combining ability analysis for yield and yield attributing traits in bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl)

This study aimed to evaluate the quantitative traits of the bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.) across different genotypes and hybrid combinations. Promising parent genotypes P4, P6 and P8 were identified based on per se performance for their quantitative traits. The top three crosses for fruit yield per plant based on high positive heterosis over the better parent were P1 × P8 followed by P4 × P9 and P1 × P4 whereas the top three crosses for positive heterosis over the standard variety were P2 × P5 followed by P1 × P8 and P6 × P9 for this trait. Only two parents P5 and P4 exhibited significant and positive general combining ability (GCA) effects for fruit yield per plant. For specific combining ability (SCA), the following hybrids excelled for individual traits, P1 × P3 followed by P1 × P7. Fruit circumference was P4 × P9 followed by P2 × P8, average fruit weight was P2 × P5 followed by P2 × P8, number of fruits per plant were P1 × P4 followed by P4 × P6 and fruit yield per plant P2 × P5 followed by P1 × P8. These hybrids exhibited superior performance and positive SCA effects in the pooled analysis, highlighting their promise for future breeding initiatives. The dominance of significant σ²SCA values over σ²GCA values emphasised the influence of dominant gene action in controlling these traits, indicating the effectiveness of hybrid breeding for genetic improvement.