Elucidating the combining ability and gene action for direct and reciprocal crosses in chilli under North-Western Himalayas

Seven genetically diverse chilli lines were crossed in full diallel mating design to obtain 42 F1 cross combination including reciprocals. The hybrids along with parental lines and standard check were evaluated for sixteen characters in randomized complete block design in three replications at Dr. YSPUHF, Nauni Solan Himachal Pradesh, India to delineate the heterotic and combining ability effects to study the gene action involved in expression of various traits. The heterosis studies revealed hybrids P3 × P4, P3 × P1, P1 × P5 and P2 × P5 performed consistently better for majority of traits over both, better parent and standard check. The parental lines; P3 and P1 were superior based on their general combining ability effects hence, these parents can be used in multiple crosses while, in SCA, P3 × P4 and P1 × P5 performed best for majority of traits. The reciprocal specific combining ability effects were significant for all the characters studied and the crosses viz., P4 × P3 and P3 × P1 were good reciprocal specific combiners. Further, non-additive gene action was found to be predominant for the inheritance of majority characters thus, suggesting that breeding approaches such as heterosis breeding and recurrent selection can be employed for the improvement of yield and other desirable horticultural traits in chilli. Hence, these crosses may be helpful in isolating transgressive segregants and could be utilized for future chilli breeding programme.