Combining Ability Analysis for Seed Yield and Component Traits over Season in Blackgram [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper]

Combining ability analysis over two seasons was carried out in blackgram involving four lines, five testers and 20 crosses. Variance due to environments was significant for all the characters. Variances due to genotypes and genotype x environment was significant for all characters, except for number of pods per cluster. It indicated that environment plays a major influence on the estimates of combining ability effects. The estimates of additive and dominance variances revealed preponderance additive gene action for all the characters, except number of pods per cluster. Parents viz., MDU 1, Vamban 3, Mash 1008 and VBN 8 were good general combiners for seed yield per plant and yield component traits. Hybrids viz., MDU 1 x Mash 1008 and MDU 1 x VBN 8 recorded high per se and non-significant sca effects for most of the characters including seed yield per plant indicating the role of additive gene action. Hence, these crosses could be used for further selection through pedigree breeding to obtain high yielding segregants.