Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) also known as eggplant or aubergine, is an easily cultivated plant belongs to the family Solanaceae. India is regarded as the primary centre of origin. Whereas, China as the secondary centre of origin. Despite the crop potential, economic and its medicinal use the present study was undertaken using twelve lines and three testers to develop 36 F1 hybrids in L × T (Line × Tester) pattern. Evaluation of hybrids along with their parents revealed that the cross combinations KRCCH-11 × GL, KRCCH-12 × GL and KRCCH-10 × GL showed highest positive heterosis, which were supercilious for earliness, yield parameters and KRCCH-11 × BL and KRCCH-11 × GL expressed superior for quality parameters resulting as best hybrids. Based on its yield potential and favoured earliness characteristics, the KRCCH-11 × GL hybrid was chosen as the best hybrid out of 36 cross combinations, with a yield of 73.34 t/ha. Hence the best hybrids are recommended for commercial exploitation of heterosis.

Eggplant, hybrids, per se performance, Heterosis, Best parent heterosis, Standard heterosis

Based on mean performance, the top five promising crosses for marketable yield per plant were KRCCH-11 × GL (3.34 kg), KRCCH-12 × GL (3.02 kg), KRCCH-11 × BL (2.73 kg), KRCCH-12 × BL (2.72 kg) and KRCCH-10 × GL (2.71 kg). The hybrids namely, KRCCH-11 × GL, KRCCH-11 × BL, KRCCH-12 × GL, KRCCH-12 × BL were best for earliness and yield parameters, the hybrids namely KRCCH-10 × GL, KRCCH-10 × BL, KRCCH-9 × GL were best for quality parameters and also expressed significant and desirable best parent heterosis and standard heterosis for the major traits. Thus, these hybrids can be exploited in practical plan breeding for selection of better transgressive segregants and they may also be exploited through heterosis breeding programme in order to achieve hybrids with high fruit yield.

Rajashree, Chandrakant S. Kamble, Shantappa Tirakannanavar, Vilas D. Gasti, Sandhyarani Nishani, Sumangala Koulagi and Arunkumar Bhavidoddi (2023). Heterosis Studies for Growth, Flower and Yield Characters in Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.). Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(11): 13-20.