Combining Ability Studies for Yield-Attributing Traits in Ridge Gourd (Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb.)

Tejashwini¹*, Kavita Kandpal², Meenakshi Sood³, Veena S Anil⁴, Akshata¹ and Basana Gouda S¹

¹Ph.D. Scholar, Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, University of Agricultural Sciences, G. K.V. K., Bengaluru, Karnataka-560065, India
²Professor, Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, University of Agricultural Sciences, G.K.V.K., Bengaluru, Karnataka-560065, India
³Associate Professor (Vegetable Science), College of Horticulture, University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot, GKVK Post, Bengaluru-560065, India
⁴Professor, Department Plant Biotechnology, College of Agriculture, University of Agricultural Sciences, G.K.V.K., Bengaluru, Karnataka-560065, India

*Corresponding Author: Tejashwini, Ph.D. Scholar, Department of Horticulture, UAS, GKVK, Benagluru, Karnataka, India.

Received: December 09, 2025; Published: December 23, 2025

Abstract

The present study on combining ability in ridge gourd (Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb.) was conducted at the Department of Horticulture, UAS, GKVK, Bengaluru, during 2024-2025 to identify superior parents and hybrids for yield and earliness. Ten parents and 21 hybrids were evaluated using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). Analysis of variance revealed significant genetic variability among the parents and hybrids for all traits, indicating the importance of both additive and non-additive gene action. Among the parents, IC-344512 and Padmini were identified as the best general combiners for yield per hectare and average fruit weight, while IC-344652 and Kerala Local-3 exhibited significant negative General Combining Ability (GCA) effects for days to first female flower and days to harvest, making them superior donors for earliness. Specific Combining Ability (SCA) analysis highlighted Kerala Local-3 × Arka Sujat as the most promising hybrid, recording the highest significant positive SCA effects for total yield and fruit weight. For earliness, the cross Bangalore Local-1 × Arka Prasan emerged as the best specific combination, showing desirable negative SCA effects for flowering and harvest duration. The study confirmed the predominance of non-additive gene action for yield-related traits, suggesting that heterosis breeding is the most effective strategy for the genetic improvement of ridge gourd. The superior performance of the hybrid Kerala Local-3 × Arka Sujata for yield and Bangalore Local-1 × Arka Prasan for earliness suggests their potential for immediate commercial release. These elite hybrids can be exploited for commercial cultivation and future breeding programs.

 Keywords: Ridge Gourd; Combining Ability; GCA; SCA; Earliness; Yield

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Citation

Citation: Tejashwini., et al. “Combining Ability Studies for Yield-Attributing Traits in Ridge Gourd (Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb.)”.Acta Scientific Agriculture 10.1 (2026): 09-19.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2026 Tejashwini., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.