Estimation of Standard Heterosis in Indian Mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. & Coss.]
Sonu Dhakad
Department of Genetics & Plant Breeding, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Agricultural University, Gwalior, 474002, Madhya Pradesh, India.
M. K. Tripathi
*
Department of Genetics & Plant Breeding, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Agricultural University, Gwalior, 474002, Madhya Pradesh, India and Zonal Agricultural Research Station, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Agricultural University, Morena, 476001, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Jagendra Singh
Zonal Agricultural Research Station, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Agricultural University, Morena, 476001, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Ravindra Solanki
Department of Genetics & Plant Breeding, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Agricultural University, Gwalior, 474002, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Deepak Saran
Department of Genetics & Plant Breeding, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Agricultural University, Gwalior, 474002, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Ravi Yadav
Zonal Agricultural Research Station, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Agricultural University, Morena, 476001, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Swati Singh Tomar
Zonal Agricultural Research Station, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Agricultural University, Morena, 476001, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Sandeep Singh Tomar
Zonal Agricultural Research Station, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Agricultural University, Morena, 476001, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Ankit Pandey
KNK-College of Horticulture, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Agricultural University, Mandsaur, 458001, Madhya Pradesh, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The present study evaluated standard heterosis for seed yield and 15 associated traits in 40 cross combinations of Indian mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. & Coss.]. Crosses developed during Rabi 2025 were evaluated during Rabi 2026 at the Experimental Farm, Zonal Agricultural Research Station, Morena, Madhya Pradesh, India, in a randomized block design with three replications. The zonal check Maya and national check Kranti were used for comparison. Considerable variation in standard heterosis was observed across the 16 traits. For seed yield per plant, standard heterosis ranged from −55.62% to 54.07% over Maya and from −59.46% to 40.75% over Kranti. Vasundhara × PM-26 recorded the highest positive standard heterosis for seed yield per plant over both Maya (54.07%) and Kranti (40.75%). Pusa Bold × Pusa Vijay, Varuna × NPJ-253, Varuna × PM-28, Kranti × NPJ-253, Rohini × PM-28, Maya × Pusa Vijay and Pusa Bold × PM-28 also expressed significant positive heterosis over both checks. Different cross combinations showed desirable heterosis for earliness, reduced plant height, branching, siliquae number, seeds per siliquae, siliquae length, test weight, biological yield and harvest index. The results identify promising hybrid combinations for heterosis-based improvement of Indian mustard. Their performance should be confirmed through multi-location and multi-season evaluation before their use in further breeding or cultivar-development programmes.
Keywords: Brassica juncea, Indian mustard, standard heterosis, seed yield, yield-attributing traits, hybridization, cross combinations, zonal check, national check, genetic improvement