Heterosis and inbreeding depression for yield and its components in sesame (Sesamum indicum L.)

The present investigation was accomplished in summer 2023 at Department of Seed Technology, Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar to study the heterosis and inbreeding depression of six crosses through generation mean analysis (each having P1, P2, F1, F2, BC1 and BC2 generations) in a Compact Family Block Design (CFBD) with three replications. Twelve different characters were studied viz., days to flowering, days to maturity, plant height (cm), number of branch per plant, number of capsule per plant, capsule length (cm), number of seed per capsule, 1000 seed weight (g), seed yield per plant (g), oil content (%), oleic acid content (%) and linoleic acid content (%). For seed yield per plant, both significant relative heterosis and heterobeltiosis observed in cross I (G. Til 4 × AT 502), cross IV (IC 199434 × N 32) and cross V (MB 1-2 × G. Til 2). While cross II (G. Til 5 × HT 2) showed significant relative heterosis for seed yield per plant. These crosses were also significant for yield contributing traits viz., number of branch per plant, number of capsule per plant, capsule length, number of seed per capsule and 1000 seed weight. Most of the cross significant inbreeding depression was observed.