Author(s):

Mukesh Kumar, Majahir Rana, Vipin Kumar, Arvind Kumar and PK Singh

Abstract: The present studies was conducted at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture &amp; Technology during the crop season 2014-15. It was concluded from nine diverse lines of chickpea (<em>Cicer arietinum </em>L.) with four broad genetic base testers were crossed in line x tester fashion and evaluated for ten quantitative characters. Analysis of variances for combining ability revealed that variances due to lines x testers showed highly significant differences for all the characters indicating wide spectrum of variation among the genotypes. Based on general combining ability performance for yield and majority of yield components, the RSG 963, Vallabh Hara, C 235, GNG 1581, WCG 9550 and ICC 4958 lines and WCG 3 and Pusa 256 testers were identified as most promising ones to be incorporated in hybridization programme as donor parent for improvement of these characters. For most of the major traits including seed yield both additive and non additive gene action were of prime importance. The present finding revealed that KGD-1161×Pusa-256 was promising cross combination for days to 50% flowering. Similarly, GNG-1581×WCG-3 was good cross combination for early maturity. Although up to certain extent dwarf plant height is a desirable trait for which breeder may select the specific combinations. The crosses namely ICC-4958×WCG-3 and C-235×Pusa-1103 showed significant negative SCA effects which might be utilized for selecting dwarf plants. However, on the basis of <em>per se</em> performance and SCA effect, the results indicated that ICC-4958×WCG-3, C-235×Pusa-1103 and C-235× Pusa-256 were the good specific crosses combinations to have a genotype of optimum plant height. Moreover, specific combining ability effects were significant for fifteen crosses. Out of which eight crosses exhibited positive estimates. On the basis of per se performance and SCA effects, three crosses ICC-4958×Pusa-1103, HK-4×Pusa-256 and KGD-1161×WCG-3were most desirable for grain yield per plant as well as some other yield components.

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