Combining Ability Studies on Growth and Improved Leaf Yield Traits in Mulberry, Morus spp.

The study was conducted to evaluate combining ability for growth, quality and yield parameters in mulberry at the field germplasm existed at the Department of Sericulture, UAS, GKVK, Bangalore. Twenty one F1 hybrids was developed by crossing seven lines with three testers according to line x tester design. and assessed using randomized complete block design with three replications. Results revealed that analysis of general combining ability showed the higher magnitude of specific combining ability (SCA) variance than general combining ability (GCA) variance for most of the characters, which indicates the presence of non- additive gene action for most of the traits except for number of branches per plant, number of leaves per plant, and single leaf area. Among seven lines, M. cathyana, MI-47, M. laevigata, MI-494 were found to be best general combiners and in testers V1, MI-66 were found best general combiners with high GCA effects. Among twenty one crosses, BC-259 × MI-66, M. indica × MI-66, M. laevigata × V1 and M. indica × C-776 were found to be superior performers with high SCA effects.