Studies on combining ability for yield and its attributes in blackgram (Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper)

Introduction

Blackgram (Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper) (2n=2x=22) is an important pulse crop of the tropics and semi-arid tropics. Blckgram is commonly called "urdbean," "udid" or "mash." It is one of India's most important pulse crops, grown during both the kharif and rabi seasons. Nutritionally, black gram is an excellent source of protein (25-26%), carbohydrates (60%), fats (1.5%), minerals and vitamins (Malik, 1994) [1] . It also contains important vitamins like vitamin A, B1 (thiamine), B3 (niacin) and vitamin C along with high levels of phosphorus and nitrogen. Black gram is highly nutritious and provides 347 calories per 100 grams. (Tharanathan and Mahadevamma, 2003) [2] . Blackgram is an important for nutritional security in developing countries due to its high nutritional value but it has a narrow genetic base with limited variation in its gene pool. This limits the availability of new varieties adapted to local conditions, which is a challenge for production. One of the main reasons for low productivity in blackgram farming is the low yield potential of existing varieties. Hybridization in blackgram helps to develop genotypes which are adaptable to local condition and having high yield with stress tolerance and disease resistance. For good result research efforts would need to cocentrate on efficient hybridization procedures. The knowledge of combining ability and gene action becomes a prerequisite in any plant breeding program, guiding the selection of superior parents and the creation of improved cross combinations. The present investigation was conducted to estimate the effects of general combining ability and specific combining ability for various traits in balckgram of superior parents and the development of enhanced cross combinations in blackgram breeding programs.

Materials and Methods

The experimental material for present investigation was carried out during rabi, 2024 at Experimental Research farm, Department of Agricultural Botany, Dr Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli (MS). Six genotypes KKVVM-9, KKVVM-10, KKVVM-13, KKVVM-18, KKVVM-20 and KKVVM-6 were used as parents and crosses were made in diallel fashion. The fifteen hybrids, six parents and one check (TAU-1) evaluated in RBD with two replications adopting a spacing of 30 cm x 30 cm during rabi 2024. Recommended agronomical practices were adopted to raise the crop. Observations were recorded for fourteen characters namely Days to 50 percent flowering, Days to maturity, Plant height (cm), Number of clusters per plant, Number of pods per cluster, Number of pods per plant, Number of branches per plant, Pod length (cm), Number of seeds per pod, Seed index (g), Grain yield per plant (g), Harvest index (%), Protein content (%) and Dry matter per plant (g). The general combining ability (GCA) effects of parents and specific combining ability (SCA) effects of hybrids were worked out as suggested by Griffing (1956) [3] .

Results and Discussion

The analysis of variance showed significant differences for all the traits studied among the parents which indicated wide genetic variability among parents (Table 1). Similar results were reported by Indrani Dana and T. Dasgupta (2001) [4] , Debbarma et al. (2022) [5] and Prasad and Murugan (2015) [6] . The GCA effect is a good estimate of additive gene action (Sprague and Tatum, 1942) [7] . The general combining ability effects of parents for different traits are presented in Table 2. Among the genotypes studied, no entry had manifested good general combining ability for all the quantitative traits. Among the six genotypes, KKVVM-18 emerged as a commendable general combiner for earlinesscontributing characters, displaying a desirable significant negative performance for days to 50% flowering and days to maturity. The parents KKVVM-10, KKVVM-20 and KKVVM-6 were also found to be best general combiner for short plant stature. Among parents, KKVVM-18 demonstrated a desirable significant GCA effect for the traits number of clusters per plant, number of pods per plant, pod length, seed index, grain yield per plant, number of branches per plant and dry matter per plant. Parent KKVVM-9 and KKVVM-10 showing good general combining ability for the trait protein content. Hence, involvement of these genotypes in the crossing programme would result in the identification of superior segregants with favorable genes for seed yield and its attributes. These results are in agreement with Debbarma et al. (2021) [5] , Shalini et al. (2019) [8] , Vijay et al. (2017) [9] , Panigrahi et al. (2015) [10] and Venkateswarlu et al. (2020) [11] . The results obtained in specific combining ability effect (Table 3) indicated that among 15 F1 cross combinations the highest magnitude of negative SCA effect for days to 50% flowering was exhibited for cross KKVVM-10 X KKVVM-18. The negative SCA effect is desirable because early maturity than the parents is advantageous. The assessments of the SCA effect indicated that none of the hybrids consistently demonstrated superiority across all traits. The cross combinations KKVVM-13 X KKVVM-20, KKVVM-9 X KKVVM-20, KKVVM-10 X KKVVM-13 were identified as the most promising specific combiners for most of the yield and yield contributing characters. The cross KKVVM-13 X KKVVM-20 had been identified as the best specific combiner for the number of clusters per plant, number of pods per cluster, number of pods per plant, number of branches per plant, grain yield per plant. Subsequently, the cross KKVVM-9 X KKVVM-20 was observed to be a promising specific combiner with respect to traits such as the number of clusters per plant, number of pods per plant, number of branches per plant, seed index, grain yield per plant and dry matter per plant. For grain yield per plant, five cross combinations viz., KKVVM-13 X KKVVM-20, KKVVM-10 X KKVVM-13, KKVVM-9 X KKVVM-20, KKVVM-13 X KKVVM-6, KKVVM-10 X KKVVM-18 were observed as best specific combiners. SCA is the deviation from the performance predicted on the basis of general combining ability (Allard, 1956) [12] . High SCA effect alone may not be the appropriate choice of the hybrid for heterosis exploitation because the hybrids with low mean value may also possess high SCA effects, even if the GCA effects of the parents were very low or even negative (Grakh and Chaudhary, 1985) [13] . Being a self-pollinated crop, it is not possible to exploit heterosis, however it may be utilized if any new method or male sterility is identified in blackgram in future. The presence of highly significant GCA and non-significant SCA may be due to additive and additive x additive interaction. Hence, these crosses may be utilized for recombination breeding for further exploitation as these hybrids would throw segregants for high seed yield (kg/ha) in combination with early maturity. However the ratio of GCA/SCA variance indicated the preponderance of non-additive gene action and hence, selection could be postponed to later generations. Similar outcome was found in Debbarma et al. (2021) [5] , Indrani Dana and T. Dasgupta (2001) [4] , Vijay et al. (2017) [9] , Panigrahi et al. (2015) [10] , Reddy et al. (2021) [14] , Prasad and Murugan (2015) [6] and Vaithiyalingan (2004) [14] .

Conclusion

The present investigation showed that there was significant variation among all genotypes studied. Parent KKVVM-18 was good general combiner for earliness. Among parents, KKVVM-9 and KKVVM-10 were good general combiners for the trait protein content. Considering the improvement in yield and yield contributing characters KKVVM-18 and KKVVM-20 were found to be good general combiners.

References

1. Allard RW. The analysis of genetic-environmental interactions by means of diallel crosses. Genetics. 1956 May;41(3):305.
2. Dana I, Dasgupta T. Combining ability in blackgram. Indian J Genet Plant Breed. 2001;61(2):170-171.
3. Debbarma P, Kant R, Mishra SB, Bharti LJ, Rojaria V, Barman M. Combining ability and heterosis studies in blackgram [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper]. Legume Res Int J. 2022;45(6):676-682.
4. Grakh SS, Chaudhary MS. Heterosis for early maturing and high yield in Gossypium arboreum. Indian J Agric Sci. 1985;55:10-13.
5. Griffing B. Concepts of general and specific combining ability in relation to diallel hybridizing system. Aust J Biol Sci. 1956;9:463-493.
6. Kumar GV, Vanaja M, Abraham B, Lakshmi NJ, Sarkar B. Heterosis and combining ability studies in blackgram (Vigna mungo L. Hepper) under alfisols of SAT region, India. Electron J Plant Breed. 2017;8(2):541-547.
7. Malik BA. Grain legumes. In: Bashir E, Bantel R, editors. Crop Production. Islamabad: National Book Foundation; 1994. p. 277-328.
8. Panigrahi KK, Mohanty A, Pradhan J, Das TR, Baisakh B. Estimation of combining ability in black gram International Journal of Advanced Biochemistry Research https://www.biochemjournal.com (Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper) for yield and its attributing traits using the diallel crossing method. Electron J Plant Breed. 2015;6(3):651-657.
9. Hepper). Electron J Plant Breed. 2015;6(2):417-423.
10. Reddy AK, Reddy DM, Vemireddy LR, Sudhakar P, Reddy BB. Studies on heterotic trends in blackgram [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper] for yield and earliness. Legume Res Int J. 2020;1:6.
11. Shalini CH, Lal GM. Heterosis and combining ability studies for yield and yield components in blackgram (Vigna mungo L. Hepper) under different environmental conditions of Prayagraj region, India. J Pharmacogn Phytochem. 2019;8(3):3512-3516.
12. Sprague GF, Tatum LA. General vs. specific combining ability in single crosses of corn. J Am Soc Agron. 1942;34:923-932.
13. Tharanathan RN, Mahadevamma S. Grain legumes, a boon to human nutrition. Trends Food Sci Technol. 2003;14:507-551.
14. Venkateswarlu O, Naik BSK. Studies on combining ability for yield and its attributes in black gram (Vigna mungo L. Hepper). J Pharmacogn Phytochem. 2020;9(1):1547-1549.