Assessment of general and specific combining abilities of Kabuli chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genotypes based on seed yield and yield components

To estimate genetic parameters of yield and yield component of chickpea, six chickpea genotypes were crossed in complete diallel crossing scheme in glass houses of Seed and Plant Improvement Institute in 2007. Parents, direct and reciprocal crosses (36 entries) were evaluated using randomized complete block design with four replications at Grizeh station, Sanandaj, Iran in spring of 2017 growing season. Plant traits including day to flowering, day to maturity, plant height, seed no.pod-1, pod no.plant-1, drought tolerance score, 100 seed weight and seed yield were measured and recorded during the growing season. Statistical analysis for F1 hybrids and parents as well as diallel analysis were performed using Griffingchr('39')s model 2 of method 1. The results showed that there were significant differences between parents and F1 hybrids, which indicated a wide genetic variability for traits of interest. It was revealed that it would be possible to improve the agronomic traits of chickpea using this genetic resources. Specific combining ability (SCA) was significant for plant height, 100 seed weight and seed yield and the important role of non-additive component in inheritance of these traits was identified. Maternal inheritance had important role in heritability of seed no.pod-1, pod no.plant-1, drought tolerance score and seed yield. Samin" and FLIP 96-154C parents had the highest general combining ability for seed yield, respectively. The effects of specific combining ability revealed that, under conditions similar of this study, Azad × FLIP 96-154C cross was the best specific combiner for seed yield and seed no.pod-1. Considering the results of this study, there was considerable variation in cytoplasmic genes carried by these chickpea genotypes that can be used in breeding for dvelopment of high yielding, with yield stability and early maturity, chickpea cultivars.