PERFORMANCE OF EXOTIC X INDIGENOUS CROSSES FOR COMBINING ABILITY OVER ENVIRONMENTS IN OPIUM POppy (PAPAVER SOMNIFERUM L.). IV. CAPSULE SIZE AND CAPSULE NUMBER

Abstract

Combining ability worked' out from 5 x 10 (line x tester) data revealed that nonadditive gene action was more important than additive gene action for capsule number and capsule size. Year effects were pronounced for both characters. Magnitude of variance for gca X year interaction was much less than the corresponding magnitude of sca x year interaction for capsule number. For capsule size, sca x year interaction variance was of less magnitude than the gca x year interaction variance. Crosses EC 11552 x KP and EC 11571 x Hariana for capsule number, and EC 11540.x DCG and EC 11556 x KD for capsule size were the best specific combinations. Single plant selection after inter-se mating in segregating generations would be the best way to improve these traits. Pedigree method would be a better approach in the cross EC 11548 x DCG for capsule size where additive gene effects were more important.