A half-diallel cross was performed among six cultivars of tomato. Then
parents, 15 F 1 and 15 F2 were evaluated during the two late summer seasons of 1999
and 2000. The obtained results could be summarized as follows: Heterosis over the
mid-parental points was significant with a positive value of 13.6% for plant height;
heterosis over the better parent was absent for plant height, while heterosis over the
mid parent was absent for all studied traits while inbreeding depression was
significant with a positive value for ascorbic acid; cultivar Peto 86 was good combiner
for number of branches per plant and fruit firmness; cultivar Fla 7324 was good
combiner for plant height, total soluble solids and ascorbic acid content; cultivar VF
145-6-7879 was good combiner for fruit firmness and total soluble solids; LHT 24
cuttlvar was good combiner for total soluble solids and ascorbic acld content; Fresh
Market 9. was good combiner for ascorbic acid content, Heritability in broad sense
was high for fruit firmness, total soluble solids and ascorbic acid content: heritability in
narrow sense was intermediate for fruit firmness and low for the other studied traits.