Heterosis and combining ability studies by line x tester analysis for fruit biochemical, morpho-physiological, and yield traits governing shelf life in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

Improving tomatoes keeping quality is crucial for reducing post-harvest losses. Knowledge of heterosis, and combining ability is a prerequisite for breeding high yielding and good shelf life heterotic hybrids. An investigation was undertaken with each of 3 lines, testers, and 9 hybrids to identify desirable parents and crosses for 20 fruit biochemical, morpho-physiological, and yield traits and to elucidate the nature of gene action for shelf life and its contributing traits through line x tester analysis. The lines contributed to most of hybrids variability than testers and fruit quality traits had a higher degree of SCA variance as compared to GCA variance. pH, ascorbic acid, fruit firmness, and plant height governed by additive gene action. Lycopene, titratable acidity, TSS, calcium, magnesium, pericarp thickness, pulp content, locule number, fruit length, diameter, weight, shelf life, number of branches, number of clusters, number of fruit/cluster, and yield/plant were under the control of non-additive gene action. All the lines and Arka Saurabh were the best general combiners and IIHR 2349 x Arka Vikas, IIHR 2349 x Arka Saurabh, IIHR 2358 x Arka Ahuti and IIHR 2357 x Arka Ahuti were the best specific combiner in producing heterotic hybrids. IIHR 2349 x Arka Vikas and IIHR 2349 x Arka Saurabh were promising hybrids for high yield and shelf life. The crosses involved both parents with high, one parent with high and other with low and both parents with low good overall general combining ability status respectively indicated the additive, non-additive and epistatic gene action in fruit quality and yield traits inheritance.

Automated summary

Improving tomatoes keeping quality is crucial for reducing post-harvest losses. The investigation on fruit biochemical, morpho-physiological, and yield traits revealed the desirable parents and crosses for high yielding and good shelf life hybrids. The gene action analysis indicated the contribution of both additive and non-additive gene actions in the inheritance of fruit quality and yield traits.