COMBINING ABILITY IN VIGNA-MUNGO (L) HEPPER

Combining ability analysis was conducted for grain yield and yield Components viz., plant height. branches per plant, pods per plant, pod length, seeds per pod, 100 grain weight in a five parent diallel population of mash (Vigna mungo) including parents, F1's and reciprocals. Non-additive gene action (dominance or epistasis) contributed the major portion in total genetic variance for all the plant characters studied.Significant reciprocal effects were also observed for all the characters which indicated the importance of maternal contribution iii the performance of hybrids. Therefore a biparental mating among the selected F2 segregants followed by selection in advanced generations, F6 or later, is suggested. The genotype 87/88 proved to be the best general combiner for pods per plant and grain yield and could be exploited in future mash breeding programme to develop high yielding varieties.