To estimate the combining ability, fourteen tomato genotypes were crossed in Line ×Tester fashion to develop 33 hybrids, which along with their parents and check were evaluated for earliness, fruit yield and quality of tomato to know extent of combining ability for the same. The lines P-7 () and P-8 () were found to be the best general combiner with significant highest GCA (General Combining Ability) in desirable direction for days to 50% flowering while P-4, for days to first ripening () and P-6 () for number of fruits per plant was best general combiner. Line P3 exhibited significant GCA in desirable positive direction for average ten fruit weight (), total soluble solid () and fruit texture (). In case of yield per plant the lines P-10 () and P-11 () showed positive significant GCA while, P-5 for flesh thickness and to be consider as good general combiner. The tester P-13 (mutant) was a best general combiner for traits like days to first ripening (), numbers of fruits per plant () and Total soluble solid (), whereas, P-12 was found best general combiner for numbers of fruits per plant () and fruit texture (). Among the crosses, cross P3 x P12 () showed the maximum desired negative SCA followed by P1 x P14 () for days to 50% flowering. In the respect of days to first ripening the cross P4 x P13 was noted as desired negative significant SCA (). The crosses viz., P-4 × P-14 (), P-1 × P14 () and P-7 × P-12 () were found to be superior specific combiners for fruit yield per plant. Cross P-8 × P-14 was a superior specific combiner for fruit quality traits like flesh thickness (), total soluble solid () and texture (). On the basis of superior GCA and SCA for earliness, yield and quality of the crop, suitable genotypes may be identified which can be used in further breeding programs. | Combining ability analysis for earliness, yield and quality components in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)
