Heterosis for Seed Yield Related Traits in Brassica napus L. Hybrids - Preliminary Studies

An experiment was conducted to evaluate 14 selected hybrids of Brassica napus L. with their 10 pollen parents and two varieties (BARI Sarisha-13, 18) as standard check for seed yield related traits. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The analysis of variance showed significant variability among the genotypes for studied traits. It was also evident for the estimates of heterosis over pollen parent and standard checks, several hybrids exhibited heterosis in desirable directions for most of the yield related traits. The highest magnitude of heterosis (70.64%) over pollen parent was observed in the hybrid 248A×001(3) for number of siliqua per plant. Besides, the highest pollen parent heterosis (58.24%) in positive direction was found for hundred seed weight (g) in hybrid 248A×30(2). The estimates of standard heterosis for the experimental hybrids revealed that the hybrid 206A×004(1) and 248A×004(1) exhibited the highest negative heterosis ((-13.95% and -11.62%, respectively) for days to flowering and seeds per siliqua, and the hybrid 248A×001(3) for plant height (-22.08%). For number of siliqua per plant, the hybrids 248A×017(1) (114.41%) and 206A×001(2) (106.11%) exhibited the highest significant standard heterosis over both checks. The hybrids 248A×30(2) produced the heaviest seed (48.45%) and 206A×017(1) and 206A×001(2) produced the highest seed yield per plant (90.20% and 89.40%, respectively) which was exhibited from their significant positive heterosis (48.45%). In conclusion, the hybrids could be selected as promising hybrid combinations and forwarded for CMS based hybrid variety development of Brassica napus.