Combining ability of sweet pepper breeding lines for the main components of yield

The important stage of breeding program for F1 hybrids with high yield capacity is to estimate the combining ability of parental lines for productivity characteristics. The information on combining ability may predict the productivity traits to exhibit and helps produce heterotic hybrids and use the initial breeding accessions in sweet pepper. The combining ability of breeding accessions for yield traits was studied with the use of complete diallel crossing. The research was carried out at experimental plots of State Institution ‘Transnistrian Institute of Agriculture’ in 2015-2016. In 2015, seven fertile lines were crossed through complete diallel cross to study combining ability. In 2016 the parental lines and 42 hybrids F1 forms produced from crossing were tested in open field condition. Analysis of General Combining Ability and Specific Combining Ability showed that none of all parental components had any essential expected effect for all tested traits of productivity. The line 134 showed the high effects of General Combining Ability as maternal and parental components for four traits, such as early and general yield, average weight and thickness of fruit pericarp. Out of 42 hybrid combinations studied, some accessions have been selected. They had the high effects of General Combining Ability with high constants of Specific Combining Ability for early yield - 4; general - 12; average fruit weight - 9; thickness of fruit pericarp - 4; dry matter content - 10; ascorbic acid - 13.