Author(s):

Odedara Geeta N, Patel JB and Balat JR

Abstract: In the present investigation, nature and magnitude of gene action was analyzed in six generations (P₁, P₂, F₁, F₂, BC₁ and BC₂) of three crosses [ABG 1 × DBG 5 (cross 1), NDBG 132 × DBG 6 (cross 2) and Pusa Naveen × DBG 5 (cross 3)] of bottle gourd. On the basis of individual scaling tests, additive-dominance model was adequate in ABG 1 x DBG 5 and Pusa Naveen x DBG 5 for number of fruits per plant; and in ABG 1 x DBG 5 for fruit yield per plant. For the remaining character-cross combinations, additive-dominance model was found inadequate for description of variation in generation means. The (h) and (l) components had opposite sign in all the crosses for all characters except for number of fruits per plant in NDBG 132 x DBG 6, for average fruit weight per plant in Pusa Naveen x DBG 5, and for days to last picking in ABG 1 x DBG 5. Thus, these cross presuming largely complementary type of epistasis. Remaining crosses for all traits presuming largely duplicate type of epistasis. It would be concluded from the present study that fruit yield per plant and its component traits studied in three bottle gourd crosses were governed by additive, dominance, digenic, epistasis and digenic epistasis gene effects along with duplicate type of gene action. When additive as well as non-additive gene effects are involved, a breeding scheme efficient in exploiting both types of gene effects should be employed. Bi-parental mating could be followed which would facilitate exploitation of both types of gene effects simultaneously for genetic improvement of fruit yield and its component traits in bottle gourd.

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