Estimation of Heterosis and the Combining Ability Effect for Yield and Its Attributes in Field Pea (Pisum sativum L.) Using PCA and GGE Biplots

Field pea (Pisum sativum L.) is a highly nutritious winter-season pulse crop. It is used as food, feed, and fodder and offers nutritional security to low-income people in developing countries. Different graphical approaches like Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Genotype + Genotype x Environment (GGE) biplots were used along with the conventional line x tester to identify efficient parents, combining ability effects and distinct heterotic groups in field pea (Pisum sativum L.). The study used a line tester design (9 x 3) for seed yield and its associated traits. In the conventional analysis, lines Aman and HFP 715 and the tester GP02/1108, as well as crosses HFP 715 x GP02/1108, Aman x GP02/1108, and Pant P-243 x HFP 1426 showed the best GCA (General Combining Ability) and SCA (Specific Combining Ability) effects, respectively, for seed yield and its attributes. The (sigma 2)SCA > (sigma 2)GCA, and D-sigma 2 > (sigma 2)A in almost all the traits indicated control of non-additive gene effects. High manifestations of heterobeltiosis for seed yield were evidenced by the superiority of 24 out of 27 crosses over the better parent. The highest significant heterobeltiosis was observed in the cross HFP 715 x GP02/1108, followed by IPF 14-16 x GP02/1108, IPF 14-16 x HFP 1426, DDR-23 x HFP 1426, DDR-23 x GP02/1108, and Aman x GP02/1108 for yield and its attributes. The biplot techniques were used to analyze data and compare their results with conventional line x tester analysis. Overall, graphical analysis results were very similar to those of traditional analysis. Consequently, it can surely be assumed that these methods could be helpful in presenting data from field pea breeding experiments carried out with line x tester design.