INTRODUCTION

Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) is one of the major
cultivated vegetable crops grown round the year. It has high
nutritive and medicinal value. Exploitation of hybrid vigour
in vegetable crops is an important breeding objective in
countries like Japan, Netherlands, UK and USA. In India
although some brinjal hybrids have been released for
cultivation, there is a scope in this crop to strengthen hybrid-
breeding programmes. Brinjal, often a self-pollinated crop
that also shows some degree of crossing, has the advantages
of easy crossing, production of large number of seeds per
cross and low seed requirement per unit area for exploitation
of heterosis . Hybrid breeding entails evaluation of elite
parents and a number of crosses (along with the type of
gene action involved required, to chalk out breeding
strategies) to identify heterotic hybrids and  desirable parents.

The present study was, therefore, undertaken to study
extent of heterosis over the better parent in line X tester
design for yield and yield-attributing traits in brinjal.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The present study was conducted at Vegetable
Research Farm, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana,
during 1998-99 on ten lines (Punjab Bahar, HE-12, Pant
Rituraj, SM 17-4, Sada Bahar Baingan, Pant-Samrat, HR-
112, H-7, H-9 and KT-4); four diverse testers (Punjab
Neelam, Aruna, S-16 and Punjab Barsati) and 40 F

1
 hybrids

thereof. Hand-emasculation and pollination was done during
autumn, while, seeds of F

1
 hybrids and their parents were

Heterosis for fruit yield and its components in brinjal  (Solanum melongena L.)

Kuldeep Singh, A.S. Sidhu1 and Ajay Kumar2
Department of Vegetable Crops
Punjab Agricultural University

Ludhiana-141 004, India
E-mail: ajaykpau@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

An experiment was conducted with 14 parents and 40 F
1
s to study heterosis in brinjal. Crosses showing significant

heterosis over the better parent were: HE12 X Aruna for first fruit set; BR-112 X Aruna for fruit length and diameter;
Pant Samrat X Punjab Neelam for number of fruits per plant; H-7 X Aruna for fruit weight; H-9 X S-16 for total yield
per plant; Negative heterosis were recorded in KT-4 X Aruna for borer and Pant in Rituraj X Punjab Neelam for
nematode infestation.

Key words: Brinjal, heterosis, yield, better parent

1Indian Institute of Horticulture Research, Hessaraghatta, Bangalore-560089
2Farm Advisory Service Scheme, Amritsar-143001

sown in a nursery and transplanted during spring. Seedlings
8-10 cm tall were planted in the field at a spacing of 75cm
between rows and 50cm between plants, in Randomized
Block Design with three replications. Each treatment
comprised seven plants in a row and data were recorded
on five competitive plants. Recommended agronomical and
cultural practices were followed. Observations were
recorded on days to first fruit set, fruit length, fruit diameter,
number of fruits per plant, average fruit weight, yield per
plant, and, borer and nematode infestation. Heterosis over
the better parent was calculated as superiority of the F

1

cross over the better parent.

J. Hortl. Sci.
Vol. 7(2):142-144, 2012

Standard Error of difference for heterotic effects was
calculated using the formula:

where,

EMS = Error mean square from analysis of variance

r = number of replications



143

Heterosis in brinjal

Critical difference was computed as SE x t value at
error degrees of freedom, at 5% level of significance

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Analysis of Variance revealed highly significant
differences among treatments for all the characters.
Estimates of heterosis over the better parent for various
traits are presented in Table 1. Results revealed that for
days to first fruit set, only 14 crosses of  40 showed

significant, negative, desirable heterosis over the respective
better parent. Heterosis ranged from -0.32 to -12.05% for
BR-112 x Aruna and HE12 x Aruna.  Crosses showing
desirable heterosis over the better parent were: HE-12 x
Aruna, KT-4 x Aruna, SM17-4 x S-16, and Pant Samrat x
Aruna. The earliest cross, HE-12 x Aruna, took 30 days
from transplanting to first fruit set. Positive heterosis was
observed for fruit length, fruit diameter, number of fruits
per plant, fruit weight and total yield per plant. Four crosses

Table 1. Per cent heterosis over the better parent for various traits in brinjal

Parent / hybrid Days to Fruit Fruit No. of Average Total yield Borer Nematode
first fruit length diameter fruits per fruit (fruits/ infestation infestation

set  (cm)  (cm) plant weight (g) plant) (g) index index
(fruit wt. %)

Pb. Bahar x Aruna -7.749** -41.379** 25.893** -52.611** 32.699** -9.195* 31.425 12.081
x S-16 1.676 -55.338** -41.990** -19.737** -1.476 -20953** 16.931 0.079
x Pb. Neelam 17.838** -53.415** -0.358 -21.709** -5.536** -17.155** 76.109** 8.567
x Pb. Barsati 37.376** -57.828** 09.551 -60.748** 12.997** -46.052** 19.552 -22.538**

HE-12 x Aruna -12.050** 3.797 -19.040** -37.976** 7.147** -1.916 54.855** -9.108
x S-16 -4.234* -2.551 -14.499** -6.773** -1.784 -5.078 -3.569 8.896
x Pb Neelam 9.450** 27.067** -3.806 3.648 -28.892** 14.844** 59.830** -19.070**

x Pb Barsati -1.302 4.489 17.582** -41.434** 4.792* -23.919** 48.498** 16.178
Sada Bahar x Aruna 10.735** -31.434** -0.670 -49.474** 10.600** -37.353** 94.351** 24.161**

x S-16 47.508** -32.329** -33.059** -53.518** 5.131* -54.118** 19.716 29.468**

x Pb Neelam 14.943** -45.023** -39.615** -53.905** -9.088** -34.412** 58.481+** 19.974**

 x Pb Barsati 25.289** -36.270** -3.842** -50.78** -6.190* -43.228** 61.325** 6.390
Pant Samrat x Aruna -10.732** -4.511 -16.675** -36.236** -22.937** -6.513 20.412 27.270**

x S-16 6.135** -5.707 -3.195 -2.625 -23.858 -7.143 0.994 23.484**

x Pb Neelam 0.937 -5.954 -21.923** 19.995** -27.400** -12.970** 32.886* -26.227**

x Pb Barsati -1.242 -3.423** 0.764 -63.884** -35.243** -62.536** 59.710** 6.506
BR-112 x Aruna -0.321 56.671** 44.827** -64.809** -21.611** -40.996** 25.302 -6.108

x S-16 2.256 5.495 -10.345* -24.336** -5.535** -12.857 -12.871 5.825
x Pb Neelam -1.885 -11.336* -15.385** -16.525* -14.323** -25.105** 38.292** 4.971
x Pb Barsati 13.890** -16.145** 24.770** -67.290 25.886** -35.591** 40.594** 22.656**

H-7 x Aruna 23.796 13.728** 16.964** -41.251** 61.908 -4.902 87.295** -12.108
x S-16 0.000 -14.544** -17.389** -36.872** -17.548** -24.771** 66.643+** 2.992
x Pb Neelam -6.217** -14.235** -30.239** -43.749** 35.997** -21.797** 45.632 -16.290**

x Pb Barsati -5.866+ -42.018** 10.853 -25.855** -26.366** -45.718** 52.478** -22.538**

H-9 x Aruna -6.521** -29.104** -5.960 -45.994** 20668** -5.900 6.273 9.080
x S-16 4.565* -20523** -34.931** 14.477* 21.861** 39.524** 17.775 0.079
x Pb Neelam -6.198** -17.340 -42.347** 17.391** -28.413** 0.795 12.599 0.250**

x Pb Barsati 0.985 -15052** -7.163 -42.991** -24.049** -47.320** 18.733 25.848**

KT-4 x Aruna -11.789** -5.141* 2.232 -41.812** 0.360 -35.249** -9.549** -5.146
x S-16 2.018 -18.665** -27.582** -23.077** -13.067 -14.191** -16.889 -5.146
x Pb Neelam -5.052* -35.539** -29.615** -33.846** -39.492** -32.217** -16.264 0.000
x Pb Barsati -0.679 -15.378** -4.558 -54.206** 26.284** -42.219** 41.992* 15.393+**

PTR x Aruna -7.395** 1.110 -7.864 -25.783** -42.278 4.214 -1.752 0.000
x S-16 -0.339 -3.797 -7.363 3.296 -27.729** -0.517 -28.392 0.000
x Pb Neelam 7.756** -18.699** -23.873** -6.091 -18.683** -23.012** -6.775 -28.584**

x Pb Barsati -2.144 -20.948** -3.878 -44.598** -19.443** 29.870** -2.996 12.896**

SM 17-4 x Aruna -2.527 -9.165* 2.522 -34.145** 0.788 -27.586** 16.618+* 24.270**

x S-16 -11.605** 22.125 -12.262 -34.220 11.467** 0.529 -8.851** -20.572
x Pb Neelam -6.315** -8.171 -9.721** -40.887** -30.526** -19.665** 72.093* -23.870
x Pb Barsati 5.556** -5.518 -15.281 -47.663** 15.053** -39.827** 34.064* 3.311

CD at (P=0.05) 1.435 0.776 0.544 1.110 3.164 20.027 3.887 0.578
CD at (P=0.01) 1.899 1.027 0.720 1.469 4.187 93.661 5.143 0.765

*, ** Significant at 5 and 1 % levels, respectively

J. Hortl. Sci.
Vol. 7(2):142-144, 2012



144

out of 40 showed significant, positive heterosis over the better
parent for fruit length, and it ranged from 1.11% to 55.67%.
Crosses showing significant positive-heterosis were: BR-
112 x Aruna and Pant Rituraj x Aruna.

Range of positive heterosis over the better parent for
fruit diameter was 2.33% to 44.83%. Only five crosses out
of 40 showed significant positive-heterosis over the
respective parent. The best cross was BR-112 x Aruna.
Maximum positive-heterosis for number of fruits per plant
ranged from 3.30% to 19.99%. Only three crosses out of
40 showed significant positive-heterosis over the better
parent (Pant Samrat x Punjab Neelam, H-9 x Punjab
Neelam, and H-9 x S-16). Maximum desirable heterosis for
average fruit weight ranged from 0.36% to 61.91%. Only
13 crosses out of 40 showed significant positive-heterosis
over their respective better parent (H-7 x Aruna, Punjab
Bahar x Aruna, KT-4 x Punjab Barsati, BR112 x Punjab
Barsati, and H-9 x S-16). These results are in agreement
with those of Dixit et al (1987), Balmohan et al (1983),
Dixit and Gautam (1987), Singh and Parsad (1995) and
Prasath et al (2000).

Maximum desirable heterosis over the better parent
for yield per plant was 0.53 to 39.52%. The best heterotic
cross was H-9 x S-16, with fruit yield of 976.67g/plant,
followed by HE-12 x Punjab Neelam (803.9g/plant).
Significant positive heterosis for yield per plant was earlier
reported by Salehuzzaman (1981), Singh et al (1982), Patil
and Shinda (1984), Singh and Kumar (1988), Prasath et al
(2000), Das and Barua (2001) and Ashwani and Khandewal
(2003).

Negative heterosis is desirable for borer and nematode
infestation. Most desirable heterosis for borer infestation
ranged from -1.75% to -28.39%. Only two hybrids of the
40 studied showed significant negative, desirable heterosis:
KT-4x Aruna and SM 17-4 x S-16. These results are in
agreement with findings of Dahiya et al (1985). Range of
negative desirable heterosis for nematode infestation was
from -5.15% to -28.58%. Crosses showing significant
desirable heterosis were Pant Rituraj x Punjab Neelam, Pant
Smrat x Punjab Neelam, Punjab Bahar x Punjab Barsati,
HE-12 x Punjab Neelam and H-7 x Punjab Neelam. These
brinjal hybrids may be commercially exploited.

REFERENCES

Ashwani, R.C. and Khandewal, R.C. 2003. Hybrid vigour
in brinjal (Solanum melongena L.). Ann. Agril. Res.
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Balmohan, T.N., Subbiah, R. and Shanmugavelue, K.G.
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Agri. Univ., pp. 23-24

Dahiya, M.S., Dhankar, B.S., Kalloo, G. and Pandita, M.L.
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Das, G. and Barua, N.S. 2001. Heterosis and combining
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Dixit, J. and Gautam, N.V. 1987. Studies on hybrid vigour in
eggplant (Solanum melongena L.). Ind. J. Hort.,
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Dixit, J., Bhutani, R.D. and Dubi, B.S. 1987. Heterosis and
combining ability in eggplant (Solanum melongena
L.). Ind. J. Agri. Sci., 52:444-47

Patil, R.B. and Shinde, S.R. 1984. Heterosis in eggplant
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Prasath, D., Natarajan, S. and Thamburaj, S. 2000. Line x
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melongena L.). Orissa J. Hort., 28:59-64

Salehuzzaman, M. 1981. Investigation on hybrid vigour in
brinjal (Solanum melongena L.). Sabrao J.
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Singh, B. and Kumar, N. 1988. Studies on hybrid vigour and
combining ability in birnjal (Solanum melongena L.).
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Singh, D.P. and Prasad, V.S.R.K. 1995. Heterosis in eggplant
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Singh, S.N., Singh, N.D. and Hazarika, G.N. 1982. A note
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           (MS Received 26 November 2011, Revised 11 July 2012)

Kuldeep Singh et al

J. Hortl. Sci.
Vol. 7(2):142-144, 2012