Exploring the impacts of combining ability of rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) cultivars for agro-morphological characters in water deficit environments

• Published in: Pure and applied biology Vol. 14; no. 2; pp. 311 - 326
• Main Author: Rao, Sajid Hussain
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Quetta International Society of Pure and Applied Biology 10.06.2025
• Subjects: Agricultural production; Brassica; Brassica napus; Chlorophyll; Combining ability; Crop yield; Crops; Cultivars; Drought; Genetic analysis; Genetic diversity; Genotypes; Hybrids; Investigations; Oilseeds; Plant breeding; Rainbows; Rape plants; Rapeseed; Seeds; Water; Water deficit; Water resistance; Water stress; Pakistan
• ISSN: 2304-2478; 2304-2478
• DOI: 10.19045/bspab.2025.140030

A primary challenge to producing numerous field crops, especially in Brassica napus L. (B. napus L.) is the water deficit. The aim of the study is to develop high yield and oil cultivars in water deficit conditions. Nevertheless, genetic analysis is essential to produce high-yielding crop varieties for adverse conditions, such as combining ability. Hence, an experiment was conducted to identify the best water stress tolerant and high yielding genotypes through genetic analysis. In this context, six high yielding water stress resistant rapeseed cultivars and their respective 15 Fi hybrids were sown for further genetic evaluation of General Combining Ability & Specific Combining Ability under water stress conditions. Total two treatments were set, 1st treatment is normal having (four irrigations; at vegetative, blooming, pods development & maturity) whereas the 2nd treatment is water deficit at pods development having (two irrigations; at vegetative and blooming). The GCA and SCA variances were substantial for various characteristics investigated, containing seed yield per plant under both environments, displaying the maximum attributes that were regulated by both additive and non-additive genes. Three cultivars: Rainbow, Rohi Sarson and NARC Sarson found exceptional for GCA impact on majority of the characters investigated. The above three genotypes may demonstrate to be tremendous improvements for rapeseed crops, in particular water deficit environment. Whereas the excellent results of hybrids for SCA recorded by Con- 1*R.Sarson, Hyola-401 x Rainbow and Rainbow xR. Sarson in normal and water deficit environments for all the studied parameters. In the future, society and scientific communities could benefit from these water-resistant genotypes in potential breeding programs.