Exploitation of combining ability for yield characters in annual chrysanthemum (Glebionis coronaria [L.] Cass. ex Spach.)

Introduction

Glebionis coronaria (L.) Cass ex Spach often known as Chrysanthemum coronarium L., is a flowering plant in the Asteraceae family. It is abundant throughout Europe, Northern Africa and Asia and is endemic to the Mediterranean area. Garland chrysanthemum, edible chrysanthemum, crown daisy chrysanthemum, kikuna, mirabeles, shungiku, chop suey green, crown daisy and Japanese green are just a few of common names. The annual chrysanthemum has the potential to appear at any time of the year. They are self-fertile hermaphrodites that reproduce by seed. It contrasts from the Florist's Chrysanthemum in a number of ways, including its shorter bloom time, lower photosensitivity and ability to grow higher, more vigorously and more hardily. It's a bipinnately lobed leaf herb with yellow ray florets and a tiny fragrant flower head. It is a branching annual with finely cut leaves that may reach a height of one meter. The blooms are 2.5-4 cm in diameter and occur in single or double forms (Desai, 1962) [4] with cream zones in the center (Vishnu swarup, 1967) [9] . India has a total area of 16.63 million hectares under loose flower production, with a production of 179.33 million tonnes. Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar are some of India's top chrysanthemum-growing states (Anon., 2014) [2] . A lot of variability for flower characters is available in annual chrysanthemum, In the market, importance is given to annual chrysanthemum flowers having a small disc, a greater number of petals with large size, multi-layered whorls of petals with multicolor. Estimation of combining ability is an important tool which can be utilized in the design of successful breeding programs in various ornamental crops (Bayat et al., 2012) [3] . To understand the probable use of any genotype as a good line or tester parent in hybridization, there is a need to evaluate its own performance along with its gca effect and the performance of F1 hybrid derived from it. General combining ability (gca) of genotypes is normally associated with additive gene action, while specific combining ability (sca) governed by dominance and epistasis gene action (Malik et al., 2004) [7] . Parents differing in their combining ability and the use of good general combiners are expected to give useful segregants. In similar way, superior cross combinations can be categorized in respect to their specific combining ability effects. It also provides necessary information on nature and magnitude of gene effects for growth traits.

Material and methods

The present study was conducted in the research field of the Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture of Kittur Rani Channamma College of Horticulture, Arabhavi, Karnataka during 2020-21. The experimental material comprised eight genotypes of the annual chrysanthemum. Five lines namely White Majestine, AACS-3, Sarpan White, Sarpan Yellow and Garden Aids were crossed with three testers namely Dharwad White, Dharwad Yellow and Bagalkot Local in line × tester mating design to develop ten F1 hybrids. Hand pollination of five lines was done with three testers in fifteen combinations. The lines, testers and hybrids were planted in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with two replications at a spacing of 60 cm × 30 cm. Uniform cultural practices were followed in all the hybrids, lines and testers. The observations were recorded for namely Individual flower weight (g), No. of flowers/ Plant, Flower yield/plant (g), Seed yield per plant (g), Test weight (g). The data generated was used to estimate general combining ability of parents and specific combining ability of cross combinations using appropriate formulae and statistical package WINDOSTAT version 8.6.

Result and Discussion

The variances of general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) of fifteen characters studied are presented in Table 1. Results of the investigation revealed that, seed yield per plant reported higher SCA variance and for the trait individual flower weight, number of flower per plants, flower yield per plant and test weight GCA variance was maximum. General combining ability (gca) and Specific combining ability (sca) effects for yield characters in annual chrysanthemum were furnished in Table 2 and Table 3 respectively. Sarpan White followed by Bagalkot Local exhibited the highest values for positive gca effect with additive genes for the Individual flower weight. Sarpan White × Bagalkot Local reported the highest positive sca effect and the gca combination of high × high type showing dominant gene action. Thus, can be exploited by heterosis breeding and recurrent selection Four parents had significant gca effects for individual flower weight. Sarpan White (1.09) and Bagalkot Local (0.30) exhibited positive and Dharwad Yellow (-0.21) and AACS-3 (-0.90) exhibited negative significant gca effects. Three cross combinations viz., Sarpan Yellow × Bagalkot Local (-0.43), Sarpan White × Dharwad White (-0.44) and Sarpan White × Bagalkot Local (0.47) had significant sca effects in both directions. The rest of the twelve crosses showed non-significant sca effects. The best general combiner for No. of flowers/ Plant was AACS-3 which recorded maximum positive significant gca effect and has additive genes for the trait. Sarpan Yellow × Bagalkot Local reported positive significant sca effects, thus, the crosses gca combination was of low × low type, indicating dominant × dominant type of gene action. This can be exploited by heterosis breeding and recurrent selection as reported by Anjali (2015) [1] in China aster.

The top two parents that resulted in maximum gca effects were AACS-3 (18.24) and Dharwad Yellow (0.68). Two parents viz., AACS-3 (18.24) and Sarpan White (-14.86) showed significant gca effects and six were non-significant for the number of flowers per plant. Cross Sarpan Yellow × Bagalkot Local (11.25) among fifteen showed significant sca effects seven crosses showed negative sca effects while the other eight crosses exhibited positive sca effects. An increase in flower yield per plant is an important trait to increase productivity. Bagalkot Local was the best general combiner for this trait as it recorded the maximum positive significant gca effect. None of the crosses had significant values for the sca effect in a positive direction. Garden Aids × Dharwad White reported positive significant sca effects. Thus, the crosses of the gca combination were of low × low type indicating dominant × dominant type of gene action. This can be exploited by heterosis breeding and recurrent selection as reported by Anjali (2015) [1] and Mrutyunjaya (2021) [8] in China aster. The mean sum of squares was significant for line × tester effect and variance due to GCA was high compared to SCA. Hence, additive gene action played the main role in the expression of this character. These results conform to Suresh Kumar et al. (2004a) [6] in China aster. The range of gca effects varied from -13.16 to 13.36 for flower yield per plant. AACS-3(-13.16) and Bagalkot Local (13.36) had significant gca effects in both directions, among eight parents four were having a positive gca effect and the rest of the parents were had negative. Among fifteen crosses, nine crosses showed negative sca effects while the other six crosses exhibited negative sca effects none of the crosses showed a significant sca effect in both directions. An increase in seed yield per plant is an important trait to increase productivity. Garden Aids and Dharwad White were the two best general combiners for this trait since they recorded maximum positive significant gca effect. Garden Aids × Bagalkot Local cross had significant values for the sca effect in a positive direction, thus, the crosses of the gca combination were of high × low type, indicating additive × dominant type of gene action. The mean sum of squares was significant for line × tester effect and variance due to SCA was high compared to GCA. Hence, non-additive gene action played the main role in the expression of this character. These results are in conformity with the findings of Singh and Mishra (2010) in marigold. The range of gca effects varied from -0.82 to 0.96 for seed yield per plant. White Majestine (-0.82), Sarpan White (-0.77), Bagalkot Local (-0.31), Dharwad White (0.35) AACS-3 (0.49) and Garden Aids (0.96) had significant gca effects in both the direction, and the rest of the parents were nonsignificant. Among fifteen crosses, six crosses showed negative significant sca effects and five crosses exhibited positive significant sca effects. rest of the crosses showed a nonsignificant sca effect. For test weight, Garden Aids (0.308) had a positive gca effect whereas two parents, Sarpan White (-0.17) and White Majestie (-0.22) reported a negative gca effect for the test weight. The range of the gca effect varied from -0.27 to 0.31. Among fifteen crosses, seven crosses reported negative sca effects and the rest of the crosses reported positive sca effects. Garden Aids × Bagalkot Local (0.29) crosses showed positive significant sca effects and Sarpan White × Bagalkot Local (-0.22) cross showed negative significant sca effect for the test weight.

Conclusions

The parent White Majestine followed by Sarpan White were good general combiners for the individual flower weight, Garden Aids was a good general combiner for the seed yield per plant. For flower yield per plant, Bagalkot Local was a good general combiner. AACS-3 was the good combiner for the number of flowers per plant.

The cross Sarpan White × Bagalkot Local exhibited a significant positive sca effect for individual flower weight.

For the number of flowers per plant, Sarpan Yellow × Bagalkot Local reported significant positive sca effects. Garden Aids × Dharwad white for flower yield per plant, Garden Aids × Bagalkot Local for seed yield per plant.

References

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