Ali Abdulhamid Saleh^*(1) Mohammed Moalla⁽¹⁾ and Nizar Harba⁽¹⁾

(1). Department of Field Crops, Faculty of Agriculture, Tishreen University, Lattakia, Syria

(* Corresponding author: Eng. Ali Saleh. E-Mail: ali-saleh@outlook.sa).

Received: 21/09/2019                               Accepted: 07/12/2019

Abstract

A half-diallel cross was carried out among three varieties of Faba bean cultivated in Syria. Crosses and parents were evaluated at the Syrian coast in a village of Sindyanet Obin, which is located in the eastern countryside of Safita, Tartous governorate, during the growing seasons 2016/17 and 2017/18. The cultivation was carried out according to the randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates, with the aim of estimating heterosis, general and specific combining abilities for 100-seed weight/g, plant height (cm), number of pods per plant and productivity seeds per plant. Results reveal highly significant variations between varieties and crosses for all the studied traits, indicating a wide genetic variability for this traits and the possibility of genetic improvement using such genetic pools of faba bean. Both general (GCA) and specific (SCA) combining abilities were significant for all the studied traits revealing the important role of both additive and non-additive gene action in the inheritance of these traits. The results indicated that the magnitude of additive genetic variance (A) was positive and lower than those of non-additive (D) for all studied traits, indicating that non-additive gene action played a major role in the inheritance of these traits. All crosses exhibited high significant positive heterosis relative to mid and better parent for 100-seed weight. Heterosis values were also highly significant and ranged between 34.78 – 94.79 (P₂×P₃) and between 91.75 – 141.56 (P₁×P₃) for the number of pods per plants and productivity seeds per plant, respectively. The Cypriot (P₂) proved to be a good combiner for all studied traits (4.578, 11.244, 4.911 and 13.689) for plant height (cm), 100-seed weight/g, number of pods per plant and productivity seeds per plant, respectively). Both crosses (P₁×P₃) 9.967, 28.300, 23.967 and (P₂×P₃) 13.700, 15.367, 10.9 exhibited highly significant and positive SCA effects for plant height (cm), 100-seed weight and productivity seeds per plant, respectively. It was suggested to introduce Cypriot variety (P₂) and both crosses (P₁×P₃) and (P₂×P₃) in the breeding programs of this crop.

Key words: Faba bean, Half diallel cross, General and Specific combining ability, Heterosis.

Full paper in Arabic: PDF