ABSTRACT
Six parental genotypes i.e. Local cultivar white long (P1), Local
cultivar dark long (P2) and Black beauty (P3) (local cultivars of eggplant
were obtained from Horticultural Research Institute, Agricultural
Research center, Egypt, and three PIs viz., PI 408974 (P4), PI 470273
(P5) and PI 542612 (P6) (USDA gene bank, USA) and their fifteen F1
hybrids in a diallel cross system without reciprocals were used to
estimate heterosis percentage relative to both mid ,better parents and two
check hybrids for some characters in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.).
The experiment was conducted at Kaha Research Farm, Kaliobia
Governorate during three successive seasons of 2015 and 2018. The 23
genotypes (6 parents, 15 F1 hybrids and 2 check hybrids) were evaluated
for yield and yield components to determine the heterosis effects .Hybrid
vigour was documented for total yield, as well as, most fruit characters.
In some crosses, high rate of parent heterosis were attained for these
traits supporting the over dominance hypothesis. The cross (P3 × P6) had
the highest mid- parent and better parent heterosis value with (230.02%
and 218.85%, respectively) for the total yield.