Heterosis in bottle gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standl.]

Studies were carried out to estimate heterosis for yield and yield traits in bottle gourd. Heterosis for fruit yield per vine ranged from -35.2 to 23.9 per cent over mid parent and -17.6 to 68.5 per cent over standard check Samrat. For number of fruits per plant and average fruit weight was ranged from -28.2 to17.9 per cent and -22.1 to 22.4 per cent over mid parent and -17.6 to 53.3 per cent and -11.7 to 44.6 per cent over standard check Samrat, respectively. Regarding fruit length the heterosis ranged from -15.1 to 19.9 over mid parent while standard heterosis ranged from -7.05 to 48.9. Heterosis for days to first fruit harvest ranged from -0.53 to -12.4 and -0.55 to -14.7 over mid parent and standard check respectively. It was important to note that six F1 hybrids viz., Samrat X Aditi followed by Aditi X TC 092372, IC 093236 X TC 092372, Samrat X TC 092372, Samrat X IC 093236 and Aditi X PSPL produced significantly higher yield than the standard check Samrat.