Louis et al Greener Journal of Agricultural Sciences Vol. 3 (2), pp.145-149, February 2013 ISSN: 2276-7770 Research Paper Manuscript Number:120512317 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15580/GJAS.2013.2.120512317 Combining Ability in Roselle Cultivars for Agronomic Traits in Yola, Nigeria 1S.J. Louis, 2A.M. Kadams, 3*S.Y. Simon and 4S.G. Mohammed 1,2,3Department of Crop Production and Horticulture Modibbo Adama University of Technology, P.M.B 2076, Yola, Nigeria. 4Department of Agronomy, Bayero University Kano, Nigeria *Corresponding Author’s Email: jatutu24 @ gmail. com Abstract: Combining ability estimates of roselle cultivars were studied in a 6 x 6 half diallel analysis. The results showed significant entries, parents and crosses for all the traits studied in the individual and also in the poolled analysis, suggesting that roselle populations were highly variable for all the traits and therefore would most likely respond to selection. Significant GCA and SCA variances were also obtained in all the traits, implying that both the additive and non-additive gene effects were operating in the genetic expression of the traits. The non-additive gene effect was however greater in magnitude as shown by the δ2 GCA/δ2 SCA ratios, which were all less than unity. The combining ability analysis of parents also revealed that Gerio-AB3, Bazza-AB2 and Bazza-AB1 yielded consistently higher general combining ability effect for most of the traits, indicating that their crosses should produce desirable segregates for the improvement of calyx yield of roselle. SCA effects identified Bazza-AB2 x Gerio-AB2, Bazza-AB1 x Gerio-AB3 and Bazza-AB1 x Michika-AB1 as the best crosses. Keywords: Hibiscus sabdariffa, combining ability, Gene effect. Return to Content View [Full Article – PDF] [Full Article – HTML] [Full Article – EPUB] Reference: Adenipekun, I.T. (1998). Extraction and colours of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) juice. M.Sc. Thesis. University of Ibadan, Ibadan (Unpublished). Ahmad, S. (2002). Inheritance of some characters in Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench) under drought conditions. Published PhD Thesis, Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Sindh Agriculture University Tanitojan, Pakistan. Alegbgejo, M.D. (2000). The potential of Roselle as an industrial crop in Nigeria. NOMA Magazine. 14:1-3. Cruz, M. and I. Regazzi I (1994). General Combining Ability estimates of some agronomic characters on roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) M.Sc Thesis, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Khartoum, Sudan. Gasim, S.M. (1994). Genetic variability of some agronomic characters on roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) M.Sc Thesis, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Khartoum, Sudan. Ghazali, M. (1999). Characterization and utilization of roselle. Food Science and Biotechnology on-line. University of Putra, Malaysia. Howard, A. and G.L.C Howard GLC (1911). Studies in India fibre plant, no. 2 on some row varieties of Hibiscus cannabinus L. and Hibiscus sabdariffa L., Indian Department of Agriculture. Agric. Mem. Bott. Serv. 4: 9-36. Ibrahim. M.M. and R.M. Hussien RM (2006). Variability, Heritability and genetic advance in some genotypes of roselle. Cytology Department, National Research Centre (NRC), Dokki, Cairo, Egypt. Kalia, H.R. and D.S. Parda DS (1962). Inheritance of some fruit characters in okra. Indian Journal of Genetics and Crop Breeding. 22(3):248-251. Vaidya, K.R. (2000). Natural Cross-pollination in roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.). 23(3): 667-669