Combining ability studies for yield and other horticultural traits in garden pea (Pisum sativum var. hortense L.)

A field study with 8 x 8 diallel analysis (without reciprocals) in garden pea revealed highly significant estimates for general combining ability (gca) except number of green pod picking and specific combining ability (sca) for all the traits thereby indicating the importance of both additive and non-additive genetic variance in the inheritance of these traits. The genotypes Palam Priya and DARL-405 were found to be the most promising per se for most of the traits, whereas the cross combination VL-7 x PB-89 involving good x good general combiner parents was found with good desirable sca effects. The cross combination Palam Priya x DARL-405 was found with best sca effects for pod length, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, number of primary branches, total soluble solids and second best for green pod yield per plant. To further improve pod yield, inclusion of F-1 combinations with high SCA and parents with good GCA in multiple crosses, biparental mating, or diallel selective mating could be a worthwhile approach.