A half diallel set crosses among six eggplant cultivars (Solanum melongena L.) viz., Brinjal Pusa Purple Cluster (P1), Egyptian White (P2), Long Purple (P3), Round Dark Purple (P4), Black Beauty (P5) and Brinjal Pusa Bharav (P6) was done. All the hybrids and parents were evaluated under greenhouse and open field during winter and summer months respectively from 2002 to 2004 at Kaha Vegetable Research Station, Kalubia, Egypt.
Both general combining ability and specific combining ability (GCA and SCA) were significant for plant height, number of primary branches per plant, number of flowers per cluster, early yield, total yield, number of fruits per plant, fruit length, fruit diameter, average fruit weight and total soluble solids, indicating the importance of both additive and non-additive gene actions for inheritance of these traits. The GCA: SCA ratio suggested that additive gene action played a greater role in the inheritance of all studied characters.
Among the cultivars, (P1, P2), (P3), (P5, P6) and (P1, P2) proved to be the best combiners for number of flowers per cluster, early yield, total yield and number of fruits per plant respectively and recommended for use in breeding programs.
The crosses )P
3
x P
5
(, )P
4
x P
5
( and )P
5
x P
6
(were a good specific combination for total yield per plant and fruit characters and considered as the promising hybrids for growing under greenhouses and open field.
Positive correlation was found between total yield (Kg/plant) and both of plant height, number of primary branches per plant, number of flowers per cluster, number of fruits per plant, fruit length, fruit diameter and fruit weight under the two growing systems. These results are indicating that the increase in total yield of eggplant fruits would be associated with an increasing in these characters.