Estimation of the specific combining ability (SCA) of eight bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) inbred lines in the sixth generation

Estimating the Specific Combining Ability (SCA) of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) inbred lines for breeding F1 hybrid cultivars was performed at the Research and Development Center for Hi-tech Agriculture in Ho Chi Minh City from September to December 2019. The objective of the study was to select the outstanding hybrid combinations from diallen method to produce F1 hybrid cultivars. The results from estimating the SCAs based on the productivity characteristic of 28 hybrid combinations produced from eight bitter gourd I6 inbred lines (Q16, Q65, Q80, Q86, Q75, Q06, Q81 and Q87) following diallen method showed that four promised hybrid combinations (Q65/Q80, Q86/Q75, Q06/Q81 and Q81/Q87) performed over 10% higher SCA values and heterosis than the control, and they were less susceptible to infectious diseases. Fruit characteristics and yield of four hybrid combinations included fruit length of 16.0 to 17.6 cm; fruit width of 6.2 to 6.8 cm; 132.2 to 151.7 g/fruit and average yield of 4.1 to 4.3 tons/1000 m2.