Vol. 9, Special Issue 10, Part E (2025)

The present investigation entitled “Heterosis and Combining Ability Studies in Sponge Gourd (Luffa cylindrica L.)” was carried out at the experimental block, Department of Vegetable Science, College of Horticulture, Mudigere during 2024-25. Twenty one F₁ hybrids were developed by crossing 7 lines with 3 testers in a Line × Tester mating design. These hybrids along with their parents were evaluated in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The mean sum of squares due to different sources of variation showed significant differences for most of the traits studied. Heterosis over the standard check (Kashi Sowmya) was observed desirable and significant for several traits including vine length at 60 DAS (34.57%), Chlorophyll content (37.50%), number of branches per plant at 60 DAS (21.31%), days to first female flower appearance (-20.20%), fruit length (22.94%), number of fruits per vine (20.88%) and fruit yield per plot (20.88%). Among the ten parents studied, KRCCH-6, Pusa Sneha and Pusa Chikni emerged as good general combiners for days to first female flower appearance, fruit length and fruit yield per plot. The hybrids KRCCH-6 × Pusa Chikni and Pusa Sneha × Pusa Chikni were identified as superior specific combiners for vine length at 60 DAS, fruit length, number of fruits per vine and fruit yield per plot. The predominance of additive gene action was evident as variance due to general combining ability (GCA) was greater than that of specific combining ability (SCA). The promising heterotic hybrids identified in this study hold potential for genetic improvement of sponge gourd through the exploitation of transgressive segregants for yield and other economic traits in future generations.