Line x tester analysis in sesame (Sesamum indicum L.)

A line x tester analysis in sesame was carried out with seven lines and four testers. Studies revealed the preponderance of non-additive gene action for days to 50 per cent flowering, days to maturity, plant height, number of primary branches, number of capsules/plant and seed yield/plant and additive gene action for 100-seed weight and oil content. Two parents. IS 184 and TNAU 2031 were good general combiner for earliness and parents namely, Si 66 and TMV 5 were good general combiner for seed yield per plant. Seven hybrids had superior per se performance for seed yield, its component characters and earliness. With regard to seed yield, six hybrids had one of the parent as desirable combiner. Among these crosses, TMV 5 x Si 66 recorded non significant sea effect and the gene action might be of additive nature. Hence, this cross can be utilized for pedigree breeding programme to evolve high yielding early maturing varieties. The crosses, CO 1 x IS 99, CO 1 x Si 66, TMV 5 x IS 184, TMV 5 x N 32 and TNAU 2031 x RT 105 and TNAU 2031 x IS 99 recorded significant sca effects and the gene action might be of additive type of epistasis. These crosses also can be utilized for pedigree breeding programme. However, selection should be postponed to later generation due to the presence of additive type of epistatic gene action.