Combining Ability of Yield and Yield Components in Pickling Cucumber

Abstract

Combining abilities of fruit yield per plant, number of fruits per plant and flesh thickness were studied using 2 local and 3 introduced pickling cucumber varieties. Diallel crossing was done to produce 20 F1-hybrid – 10 direct crosses and 10 reciprocal crosses. The hybrids and parents were grown in a 5 x 5 simple lattice manner. Data analysis revealed significant difference among genotypes in all characters, while reciprocal effect was significant in number of fruits per plant and flesh thickness. Non-additive gene effect was found to control yield per plant, whereas both additive and non – additive effect were equally important in conditioning number of fruits per plant and flesh thickness. ‘Taiwan Variety’ was identified as a good source of genes for more fruits per plant and thicker flesh. The cross between Thai cucumber ‘Flying Boy’ and the above variety expressed high number of fruits per plant and thus should be chosen for inbred line source and hybrid production. In this study, flesh thickness and number of fruits per plant expressed significant positive effect on fruit yield per plant.