Estimation of genetic parameters and heterosis in cytoplasmic male sterility based experimental hybrids for yield and component traits

Development of hybrids in wheat is an innovative approach for enhancing present productivity levels. Presence of standard or commercial heterosis is essential for successful development of a hybrid cultivar. The discovery of heterosis and its exploitation in modern plant breeding programmes is one of the most important advances in plant improvement (Alghamdi, 2009). Although hybrid development in wheat could not achieve any success in the world but efforts are being made for development of CMS (Cytoplasmic Male Sterility) based hybrids in wheat for marginal land with half seed rate and in this direction, more than 50 diversified cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) lines were developed in agronomic background of Indian wheat cultivars using backcross breeding at ICAR-IIWBR, Karnal (Singh et al., 2016). These new CMS lines were evaluated for male sterility and 12 CMS lines in agronomic background of DBW 17 (a promising cultivar of NWPZ were crossed with 3 fertility restorer lines (Res 5, Res 37 & Res 38) during 2016-17 crop season to develop 36 experimental hybrids. These CMS based 36 experimental hybrids Homepage: http://epubs.icar.org.in/ejournal/index.php/JWR