Vol. 8, Issue 12, Part M (2024)

The experimental material was developed by crossing five cytoplasmic male sterile lines with eight testers in line x tester fashion to estimate the information on the general combing ability and specific combining ability effects of parents and hybrids respectively. Parents and their 40 hybrids were evaluated in Randomized Block Design with three replications over three commercial checks viz. LSFH 171, PDKVSH 952 and DRSH 1 at field of Oilseed Research Unit, Dr. PDKV., Akola during Kharif 2020. Among the parents, 3/147R, 189/1R, AKSF-5R and CMS-108B were the best general combiners for yield and yield contributing traits. Thus, these parents should be included in future hybridization programmes for improvement in seed yield and yield components in sunflower.

The highest significant sca effect for seed yield was recorded by the hybrid CMS-108A × 3/148R (9.29) followed by CMS-102A × AKSF-5R (8.08), CMS-302A × 3/147R (4.91), CMS-138A × PKV-105R (3.78), CMS-302A × 3/148R (3.54) and CMS-302A × PKV-105R (3.12). Based on sca effects of hybrids, five hybrids viz., CMS-102A × AKSF-5R, CMS-302A × 3/147R, CMS-108A × 3/148R, CMS-102A × 3/147R and CMS-108A × AKSF-5R are identified as promising hybrids for seed yield. These hybrids need further evaluation in preliminary or multilocation hybrid trials for further confirmation and thereby commercial exploitation.