Asian Journal of Agricultural Sciences 4(4): 280-286, 2012
ISSN: 2041-3890
© Maxwell Scientific Organization, 2012
Submitted: April 17, 2012
Accepted: May 26, 2012
Published: July 15, 2012
Generation Mean Analysis in Sesamum indicum L.
1
M. Padma Sundari, 2T. Kamala and 2Y.V. Rao
1
Department of Microbiology,
2
Department of Botany, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam Abstract: Generation mean analysis was carried out to study nature and magnitude of gene effects for yield
and its yield component in ten crosses of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) The five parents vm (8L), X-79-1
(4L), EC351187 (8L), EC359007 (4L) and EZ351881 (4L), their F1, F2, F3 were studied for nine
quantitative traits. The analysis showed that scales C and D are highly significant for seed yield/plant and
all the eight yield components, indicating the predominance of non-allelic interactions or epistasis of
Additive x Additive (i) and Dominance x Dominance (l) for almost all the nine characters in most of the
crosses.
Keywords: Gene effects, generation mean, non-allelic interaction, Sesamum indicum, scaling test
EC359007 (4L) and EZ351881 (4L). The Experiments
were conducted during kharif (May to August-2006) in
35 × 3 randomized block design at Andhra University
Research Farm, Visakhapatnam andhra Pradesh, India.
Ten competitive plants from each parent and F1
generation and hundred plants from F2 and F3
generations were randomly taken and data was recorded
on seed yield/plant (g), days to maturity, plant height,
primary and secondary branches/plant, number of
pods/plant, number of seeds/pod, pod size (cm) (length
and width), 1000 seed weight (g).
The data was statistically analyzed and gene effects
were studied by using generation mean analysis
proposed by Hayman (1958). Scaling test C, D
proposed by Cavalli (1952).
INTRODUCTION
Among the five vegetable oilseeds sesame
(Sesamum indicum L.) ranking second after groundnut
is preferred for its oil and protein in seed . Though India
ranks first in area under sesame cultivation in the world.
The productivity is very poor (304 Kg/ha) due to lack
of stable high quality seeds with desirable attributes.
Sesame is valued not only for its nutritive value but also
for its quality and quantity of its oil (44-52%), which is
rich in Vit. E and also contains significant levels of
Linoleic acid which controls blood cholesterol levels
.The protein content is about 26.5% (Mosjidis, 1982).
Production of sesame seeds can be accomplished either
through cytoplasmic male sterility or by emasculation
and crossing. The emasculation and crossing is the
preferred method in sesame seed production. For
genetic improvement of the crop the breeding methods
to be employed depends mainly on the nature of the
gene action involved in the expression of quantitative
trait. Line X Tester analysis is used to select parents
based on their combining ability but cannot detect
epistasis. The presence or absence of epistasis can be
detected by generation mean analysis using the scale
test. For this purpose there is a need to augment its
productivity through the development of high yielding
varieties. The present study was undertaken to
understand the gene effects involved in inheritance of
various quantitative traits in sesame to provide a basis
for for an evaluation of selection methods for the
improvement of sesame population.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
It is clear from the tables that in general scales C and D
are highly significant for seed yield/plant and all the
eight yield components, indicating the predominance of
non-allelic interactions or epistasis of Additive x
Additive (i) and Dominance x Dominance (l) for almost
all the nine characters in most of the crosses. The value
of ‫ال‬2 estimated from joint scale test of Cavalli (1952)
Justified the adequacy of the model applied. Mean
Values for all the characters under consideration are
highly significant for all the ten crosses.
Data from Table 1 and 2 (2.1 to 2.9) revealed that
the values of the first order effects (d) and (h) and their
interaction effects (i) and (l) were almost significant for
all the characters studied in most of the crosses. The
results from scaling test and generation mean analysis
suggests that all the nine characters are governed by
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The experimental material for this study consists of
five parents, 10F1, 10F2 and 10F3 of sesame. The five
Parents are Vm (8L), X-79-1 (4L), EC351187 (8L),
Corresponding Author: M. Padma Sundari, Department of Microbiology Andhra University, Visakhapatnam
280
Asian J. Agric. Sci., 4(4): 280-286, 2012
Table 1: Relative performance of the 10 crosses (range) in F1, F2, F3 along with the related parents (mean values) in respect of seed yield and the
eight yield components in Sesamum indicum L.
Pod
Name of the
treatment
Vm 
EC351887
Vm 
EZ351881
Vm  X-79-1
Vm 
EC359007
X-79-1 
EC351887
X-79-1 
EC359007
X-79-1 
EZ351881
EC359007 
EC351887
EC359007 
EC351881
X-79-1 
EZ351881
P1
Plant height
(cm)
138.5
No. of
primary
branches
3.9
No. of
secondary
branches
0.0
No. of pods
per plant
128.5
No. of
seeds/pod
121.8
P2
F1
F2
F3
P1
121.3
90-100.0
77-152.0
100-120.0
138.5
2.0
2.0-5.0
0-5.0
3.0-5.0
3.9
4.0
0-0.0
0-4.0
0-2.0
0.0
114.2
73-149.0
68-125.0
90-125.0
128.5
P2
F1
F2
F3
P1
P2
F1
F2
F3
P1
133.7
70-90.0
122-150.0
70-120.0
138.5
95.2
90-127.0
120-135.0
90-112.0
138.50
3.7
2.0-4.0
0-6.0
1.0-5.0
3.9
4.0
3.0-6.0
4.0-6.0
2.0-6.0
3.90
4.9
0-2.0
0-0.0
0-2.0
0.0
3.9
0-4.0
1.0-4.0
0-3.0
0.0
P2
F1
F2
F3
P1
135.70
80-110.00
90-115.00
90-115.00
95.20
4.70
3.0-7.00
2.0-5.00
3.0-6.00
4.00
P2
F1
F2
121.30
105-150.00
100-160.00
F3
P1
Length (cm)
1.98
Width (cm)
0.8
1000 seed
weight (g)
2.4
Seed yield
per plant (g)
5.10
144.8
68-76.0
64-200.0
68-76.0
121.8
2.95
2.6-3.0
2.8-8.6
2.6-3.0
1.98
0.82
0.5-1.0
0.6-1.2
0.8-1.0
0.8
1.7
1.5-1.7
2.0-2.20
1.9-2.10
2.4
8.11
10.15-10.30
10.58-11.00
12.00-12.44
5.10
193.1
81-138.0
98-139.0
88-143.0
128.5
128.6
115-192.0
100-157.0
93-118.0
128.5
81.6
68-76.0
72-168.0
72-128.0
121.8
67.6
96-136.0
68-176.0
120-136.0
121.8
2.96
2.0-3.0
2.7-3.5
2.2-3.0
1.98
2.51
2.4-3.0
2.8-3.6
2.8-2.9
1.98
0.94
0.8-1.2
0.4-1.0
0.6-1.0
0.8
0.59
0.8-1.0
0.5-0.8
0.8-1.0
0.80
2.30
2.0-2.4
1.9-2.1
2.1-2.4
2.4
2.1
1.3-1.6
2.1-2.3
1.9-2.4
2.4
8.21
13.50-13.58
13.95-14.15
13.46-14.08
5.10
6.25
12.98-13.25
10.45-12.25
20.30-22.00
5.10
4.2
0-4.0
0-0.0
0-5.0
3.9
128.6
86-172.0
103-139.0
102-185.0
128.6
64.8
68-84.0
68-112.0
76-840
67.6
3.05
2.6-3.80
2.5-3.00
2.08-3.50
2.51
1.13
0.6-1.00
0.6-1.20
0.5-0.60
0.59
1.5
2.2-2.6
2.5-2.9
2.4-2.6
2.1
6.75
10.95-11.30
12.95-13.15
18.10-19.20
6.25
2.00
5.0-10.00
2.0-5.00
0.0
3.0-12.0
0-5.0
114.2
119-244.0
98-133.0
144.8
76-84.0
72-112.0
2.95
3.0-3.30
2.5-3.00
0.82
0.6-1.00
0.8-1.00
1.7
3.0-4.0
2.0-4.0
8.11
14.0-14.43
11.53-13.50
80-120.00
95.20
1.0-5.00
4.00
0-5.0
3.9
66-135.0
128.6
72-96.0
67.6
2.2-2.80
2.51
0.5-0.80
0.59
3.0-3.30
2.1
13.65-15.75
6.25
P2
F1
F2
F3
P1
135.78
70-85.00
55-70.00
80-130.00
95.2
4.74
3.0-7.00
2.0-6.00
2.0-6.00
4.0
4.2
2.0-3.0
0-4.0
0-9.0
3.9
128.6
69-139.0
60-103.0
99-190.
128.6
64.8
84-88.0
78-80.0
68-84.0
67.60
3.05
3.5-3.70
3.0-3.20
2.2-3.00
2.51
1.13
1.0-1.50
0.9-1.50
0.6-1.00
0.59
1.5
3.4-4.5
3.0-40
3.4-3.9
2.10
6.75
7.12-9.00
7.01-9.00
8.50-9.80
6.25
P2
F1
F2
F3
P1
133.7
90-110.0
87-115.0
100-135.0
135.7
3.7
2.0-5.0
2.0-5.0
2.0-6.0
4.7
4.9
0-0.0
0-5.0
0-5.0
4.2
193.1
102-137.0
97-132.0
80-126.0
128.6
81.60
84-88.00
68-76.00
56-80.00
64.80
2.96
2.8-3.20
3.0-3.50
2.3-3.00
3.05
0.94
0.6-1.50
0.6-0.90
0.5-0.70
1.13
2.30
2.9-3.50
2.8-3.20
3.25-3.65
1.50
8.21
7.93-8.33
7.98-8.72
8.95-9.35
6.75
P2
F1
F2
F3
P1
121.3
100-132.0
130-158.0
110-130.0
135.7
2.0
1.0-4.0
4.0-11.0
2.0-6.0
4.7
0.0
0-4.0
0-8.0
0-8.0
4.2
114.2
87-188.0
75-158.0
86-184.0
128.6
144.80
64-92.00
88-136.00
76-84.00
64.80
2.95
2.5-3.50
2.0-2.80
2.8-3.20
3.05
0.82
0.8-1.50
0.6-1.30
0.6-0.80
1.13
1.70
2.7-3.30
2.5-3.00
2.8-3.10
1.50
8.11
8.35-8.78
11.48-12.28
13.00-13.45
6.75
P2
F1
F2
F3
P1
133.7
100-132.0
130-158.0
110-130.5
121.3
3.7
2.0-5.0
2.0-10.0
3.0-8.0
2.0
4.9
1.0-5.0
0-16.0
1.0-4.0
0.0
193.1
102-137.0
97-132.0
80-126 .0
114.2
81.60
88-92.00
60-80.00
68-88.00
144.80
2.96
2.8-3.40
2.6-3.50
2.3-3.20
2.95
0.94
0.9-1.60
0.6-1.00
0.6-0.90
0.82
2.30
2.9-3.10
2.6-3.01
2.11-2.71
1.70
8.21
8.75-9.32
8.51-9.42
9.85-10.52
8.11
P2
F1
F2
F3
133.7
110-145.0
70-85.0
60-95.0
3.7
0-4.0
2.0-6.0
1.0-3.0
4.9
0.0
0-6.0
0-2.0
193.1
98-264.0
61-187.0
58-118.0
81.60
76-84
68-72
52-76
2.96
3.2-3.80
3.2-3.50
2.6-3.00
0.94
0.8-1.00
1.0-1.80
0.8-1.50
2.30
2.1-2.5
2.4-3.02
2.91-3.50
8.21
6.34-6.69
7.10-8.06
9.97-10.68
281 ------------------------------------
Asian J. Agric. Sci., 4(4): 280-286, 2012
Table 2: Estimates of scale tests, joint scale tests, gene effects for seed yield and eight yield components in ten crosses of Sesamum indicum L.
Estimates of joint scale test
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------m
d
h
I
l
‫ال‬2
C
D
Gene effect
-------------------------Type of
(h/d)
epistasis
129.60**
8.60
29.80
64.20
-196.00**
25.49**
-9.60
-79.40**
3.46
Duplicate
138.00**
Vm 
EZ351881
131.10**
Vm  X-79-1
100.25**
Vm 
EC359007
133.80**
X-79-1 
EC351887
66.50**
X-79-1 
EC359007
95.70**
X-79-1 
EZ351881
146.70**
EC359007 
EC351887
129.80**
EC359007 
EZ351881
78.50**
EC351887 
EZ351881
Primary branches
2.50**
Vm 
EC351887
3.00**
Vm 
EZ351881
4.90**
Vm  X-79-1
3.20**
Vm 
EC359007
3.70**
X-79-1 
EC351887
3.40**
X-79-1 
EC359007
3.200**
X-79-1 
EZ351881
8.00**
EC359007 
EC351887
5.50**
EC359007 
EZ351881
3.70**
EC351887 
EZ351881
Secondary branches
1.10
Vm 
EC351887
0.00
Vm 
EZ351881
1.60**
Vm  X-79-1
2.40
69.53**
114.56
-236.66**
122.45**
-97.60**
-147.80**
28.97
Duplicate
21.65**
1.35
62.93**
-13.97
67.04*
25.89**
-119.50**
16.11
99.49**
38.39**
-65.30**
67.88**
-84.30**
-55.88**
2.90
-10.34
Duplicate
Duplicate
-13.05**
74.86**
28.09
-139.73*
8.60**
-45.30
-58.30**
-5.73
Duplicate
-20.25**
-72.86**
34.45**
199.73**
400.46**
124.90**
24.90
3.59
Duplicate
-19.25**
-58.40**
15.15
131.20**
20.12**
44.70
53.70
3.03
Duplicate
7.20
50.13**
61.92**
-220.22**
48.12**
-96.40**
-68.80**
6.96
Duplicate
1.00**
47.46**
65.16**
-146.10
93.42**
-285.20**
-93.80**
47.46
Duplicate
-6.20
33.33**
32.26**
133.33
282.65**
197.00**
-98.80**
-5.37
Complementary
0.95
-2.80
34.36**
9.60
84.35**
2.90
4.30*
-2.94
Duplicate
0.10
-1.73
-4.72
18.66**
4.51
-1.20
-0.40
-17.13
Duplicate
-0.50
-0.40
2.86*
-2.27
4.78**
-2.48
-6.13
10.13
3.94
9.07*
-2.10
5.00*
-2.50
2.60
-5.72
5.67
Duplicate
Duplicate
1.00**
2.73*
1.06
-1.60
10.82**
5.20**
0.60
2.73
Duplicate
0.35
-2.00
-6.30
9.60**
6.27*
4.70**
2.50
-5.71
Duplicate
0.15
-0.46
0.06**
4.53**
17.98**
3.00
-5.70*
-3.06
Duplicate
1.14**
7.80*
8.65**
-37.60**
46.50**
-20.30**
-7.90**
6.84
Duplicate
0.50
0.80
1.90
-11.20
7.38*
-7.40
-1.00
1.60
Duplicate
-0.85**
4.73**
5.44**
-15.73**
55.63**
-4.70**
-7.40**
-5.56
Duplicate
0.00
0.53
1.70
-1.06
0.08
-2.20
1.40
0.00
Duplicate
-2.45**
-0.06
1.29*
4.53
0.00
7.10**
-3.70*
0.02
Duplicate
1.95
1.06
-1.72
4.80
0.02
14.30**
1.40
0.54
0.00
-2.10
-4.60*
-3.45**
14.13**
34.89**
7.20**
3.40
2.19
Complementary
Duplicate
2.40**
1.95**
4.93
-1.32**
13.33
32.02**
10.70**
-0.70
2.52
2.20**
-0.15
-3.86
-1.03**
-9.23**
5.51
2.17
2.30
25.73
2.30**
-0.50
0.60
1.20
4.80
6.46*
-0.40
-7.40*
-1.20
1.70
2.10**
-1.60
0.90
1.60
119.79**
0.00
1.20
-0.76
Complementary
Complementary
Complementary
Duplicate
3.50
-0.35
3.33
4.98
-9.06
9.55*
0.90
-7.70*
-9.51
Duplicate
2.70**
-2.45
3.26**
5.70**
-17.33**
0.16
-5.90**
-7.10*
-1.33
Duplicate
98.70**
7.15
-11.06
43.98**
107.73
646.20**
88.10**
7.30
-1.54
Duplicate
120.00**
-32.30
21.00
84.70
-133.60*
641.65**
35.80
-136.00**
-0.65
Duplicate
137.50**
-0.05
108.40**
95.15**
-182.40**
765.55**
-0.70
-63.90*
-2168
Duplicate
Cross
Plant height
Vm 
EC351887
Vm 
EC359007
X-79-1 
EC351887
X-79-1 
EC359007
X-79-1 
EZ351881
EC359007 
EC351887
EC359007 
EZ351881
EC351887 
EZ351881
Pods per plant
Vm 
EC351887
Vm 
EZ351881
Vm  X-79-1
282 Scale test
------------------------------
Asian J. Agric. Sci., 4(4): 280-286, 2012
Table 2: (Continue)
Estimates of joint scale test
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Cross
Vm 
EC359007
X-79-1 
EC351887
X-79-1 
EC359007
X-79-1 
EZ351881
EC359007 
EC351887
EC359007 
EZ351881
EC351887 
EZ351881
Seeds per pod
Vm 
EC351887
Vm 
EZ351881
Vm  X-79-1
Vm 
EC359007
X-79-1 
EC351887
X-79-1 
EC359007
X-79-1 
EZ351881
EC359007 
EC351887
EC359007 
EZ351881
EC351887 
EZ351881
Pod length
Vm 
EC351887
Vm 
EZ351881
Vm  X-79-1
Vm 
EC359007
X-79-1 
EC351887
X-79-1 
EC359007
X-79-1 
EZ351881
EC359007 
EC351887
EC359007 
EZ351881
EC351887 
EZ351881
Pod width
Vm 
EC351887
Vm 
EZ351881
Vm  X-79-1
Vm 
EC359007
X-79-1 
EC351887
m
120.00**
d
-0.05
h
-112.93**
I
-103.34**
l
221.66**
‫ال‬2
117.64**
C
15.10
D
151.30*
117.00**
7.20
64.53**
-94.67**
125.33
19337.79**
136.00**
-42.00
81.70**
0.00
-123.93**
58.62**
397.33**
34.94**
168.40**
129.40*
Gene effect
-------------------------Type of
(h/d)
epistasis
2258.6
Duplicate
0
8.96
Complementary
0.00
Duplicate
113.20**
-32.25*
27.00
72.55**
-45.60
38.65**
99.50*
-133.70**
-0.83
Duplicate
118.61**
7.20
-23.80
11.00
-80.46
13683.72**
-500.60**
46.00
-3.30
145.10**
-32.25
2.60
46.05
-115.88
265.50
-63.50
-0.08
126.70**
-39.45**
91.00**
168.25**
-383.20**
495613.00*
*
332.77**
Complementary
Duplicate
1693.30*
*
-240.70**
-2.30
Duplicate
105.20**
-11.50
63.73*
124.26*
-251.06*
144.83**
-8.59
-184.21**
-5.54
Duplicate
97.20*
20.10**
-20.93
-5.97
83.73
1.49
-53.80
-9.000
-1.04
Duplicate
107.20**
27.10**
1374.13**
632.43*
168.53
79.42**
5.40
121.00**
50.70
77.60**
28.50**
-13.20
3.37
2.42
1120.18**
27.00
-13.800**
-0.46
Complementary
Duplicate
82.40**
-38.61**
12.80
39.81**
-38.40
37.21**
41.21*
-17.010**
-0.33
Duplicate
79.60**
1.40
29.73**
8.52**
-28.26**
292.90**
-11.80**
-10.000
21.23
Duplicate
73.60**
-7.00**
7.13
0.97
22.13
17.25**
20.20**
-3.600
-1.02
127.20**
-40.00**
92.53**
113.73**
259.46**
1548.78**
-13.20**
137.60**
-2.31
69.60**
-8.40*
-34.40
-49.60**
144.00**
1008.00**
44.80**
63.200**
4.09
Complementary
Complementary
Duplicate
68.60**
31.60**
4.60
41.07*
21.86
3612.18**
104.80**
-88.400*
0.14
Complementary
3.17**
-0.48**
0.30
-1.31**
-4.13**
89.98**
-2.15**
0.09
-0.61
Duplicate
3.09**
-0.49**
0.60
0.89**
-3.23*
13.01**
-2.44**
-0.16
-1.22
Duplicate
3.31**
2.80**
-0.17**
-0.53**
1.58**
-0.49*
3.36**
-1.09**
-5.68**
2.15**
80.69**
1.00
-3.39**
0.03
-0.87*
1.61**
-8.97
0.93
Duplicate
Duplicate
2.75**
-0.22*
0.83**
0.27
-0.24
23.62**
0.70
-0.84
-3.77
Duplicate
3.03**
-0.27**
8.36**
7.63**
-14.80**
0.21
0.52
-0.46
-30.96
Duplicate
3.36**
-0.22
1.73**
4.13**
-15.57**
49.27**
-1.97**
-1.71**
-7.86
Duplicate
2.52**
0.05
-5.01
-3.37
5.41**
991.17**
2.66**
1.40
Duplicate
2.95**
0.04
0.42
6.18**
0.10
2165.76**
0.59
-0.51
100.12
9.46
3.47**
-0.005
1.62**
-1.11**
-3.25**
470.24**
-1.03**
-1.41**
325.20
0.90**
-0.01
-0.12
-0.11
-0.16
124.87**
-0.40
1.90**
12.00
0.73**
-0.07**
0.42*
-0.43
0.88
4.53
0.30
0.36
-6.00
0.68**
0.94**
0.10**
-0.16**
-0.38**
0.98**
-0.63**
1.13
1.84**
-2.45
225.83**
2384.15**
0.58**
-0.19
0.80**
-1.82**
-3.80
-5.79
Complementary
Complementary
Duplicate
Duplicate
0.93**
-0.11
0.74**
0.85**
-1.65**
34.18**
-0.53
-0.72**
-6.72
Duplicate
283 Scale test
------------------------------
Complementary
Duplicate
Asian J. Agric. Sci., 4(4): 280-286, 2012
Table 2: (Continue)
Estimates of joint scale test
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------Cross
X-79-1 
EC359007
X-79-1 
EZ351881
EC359007 
EC351887
EC359007 
EZ351881
EC351887 
EZ351881
1000 seed weight
Vm 
EC351887
Vm 
EZ351881
Vm  X-79-1
m
1.13**
d
-0.26**
h
1.85**
I
1.16
l
-2.01
‫ال‬2
1767.03**
C
-0.03
D
-1.48**
Gene effect
-------------------------Type of
(h/d)
epistasis
-6.98
Duplicate
0.75**
-0.17**
0.46**
0.27**
-0.08
9.28*
0.46*
-0.52**
-2.70
Duplicate
0.95**
0.15**
0.92**
-0.60**
-0.48
3.79
0.73**
-1.09**
5.93
Duplicate
0.79**
0.09**
0.56
0.32
0.80
35.63**
1.45**
-0.85**
5.89
1.47**
-0.06**
0.47
0.45
-3.22**
4427.54**
-2.23**
-0.08
-7.88
Complementary
Duplicate
2.10**
0.35
-3.84**
-1.38**
-1.86**
14.39**
-1.10**
-0.30
-10.97
2.00**
0.05
-0.40
-0.25**
1.60*
9.09*
1.00*
0.10
-8.00
2.20**
0.15
-0.26
0.58**
-2.66**
99.55**
-1.50
-0.50
-1.77
0.45**
0.33
-1.05
1.86*
2430.01**
-2.10**
0.70**
0.73
0.20
-0.20
-1.80
2.40
41.91**
-1.20
3.00*
-1.00
Complementary
Complementary
Duplicate
0.30
-0.02
-2.06**
1.33*
54.80**
-1.60
3.80**
-0.20
Duplicate
-0.10
-0.87*
-1.27
2.42**
4458.48**
-1.30
3.10*
8.70
Duplicate
-0.10
-0.33
-1.26**
-1.86
123.92**
-1.60*
3.00**
3.10
Duplicate
-0.40**
1.20*
0.10
-1.60
1044.22**
-1.40**
0.20
-3.00
Duplicate
-0.35**
-1.13
-0.86
0.26
13.51**
-2.60**
2.80**
3.22
Duplicate
-1.50**
-25.92**
-18.72**
6.24**
1934.62**
-50.39**
14.27**
17.28
Duplicate
-1.55**
0.86
-6.03**
-3.76**
42262.28**
-9.49**
14.17**
-0.55
Duplicate
-0.57**
-0.82**
-24.41**
-16.27
-32.82**
-0.28
54.98**
24.82
631.63**
4031.66**
-8.69**
-18.07**
-39.93**
136.69**
42.82
19.72
Duplicate
Duplicate
-0.93**
-4.58
-11.61
16.37
4634.80**
-7.09
19.19**
4.92
Duplicate
-0.25
-1.73
-3.27
3.14
11.03**
-3.40
5.76*
6.92
Duplicate
-0.99**
-2.32**
-16.50**
56.98**
175.19**
-2.72**
5.46**
2.34
Duplicate
-0.68**
-5.62
-3.94
-2.02
1353.56**
15.22
14.02
8.26
-0.73**
-3.36**
-4.88**
7.33**
122.81**
-2.44**
7.94**
4.60
Complementary
Duplicate
-0.05
-8.11**
-6.43**
12.34**
117.55**
-0.52
-5.12**
162.20
Duplicate
2.70**
Vm 
EC359007
3.00**
X-79-1 
EC351887
3.50**
X-79-1 
EC359007
3.03**
X-79-1 
EZ351881
2.70**
EC359007 
EC351887
2.80**
EC359007 
EZ351881
2.80**
EC351887 
EZ351881
Seed yield per plant
1.02**
Vm 
EC351887
14.05**
Vm 
EZ351881
12.56**
Vm  X-79-1
13.03**
Vm 
EC359007
12.41**
X-79-1 
EC351887
8.12**
X-79-1 
EC359007
8.34**
X-79-1 
EZ351881
11.88**
EC359007 
EC351887
8.85**
EC359007 
EZ351881
7.45**
EC351887 
EZ351881
Scale test
------------------------------
Complementary
Duplicate
*: Significant at 0.05; **: Significant at 0.01
both additive and non-additive factors together with
high epistasis.
Results from generation mean analysis reveals the
dominant component (h) being significant in most of
the crosses for different characters, either exceeding or
equaled the corresponding additive (d) effects.
Simultaneous occurrence of significant estimates of
dominance and epistasis in some of the instances
suggests that both types of gene effects could be due to
the action of same gene.
Similarly, the ratio of (h/d) indicated the net
expression of the gene is partial, complete or over
dominance in the different crosses for the different
characters. These results are supporting the earlier
reports in Sesamum (Kamala, 1999).
The components (d, h, i & l) indicate either
duplicate or complementary epistasis. The components
(d, h, i & l) are positive and highly significant for cross
EC351887xEZ351881, suggesting the complementary
epistatic interaction. The values of (h) & (l) are in
opposite signs and the highly significant positive values
284 Asian J. Agric. Sci., 4(4): 280-286, 2012
of (i) indicate the importance of additive gene effects.
For rest of the crosses results in duplicate epistasis.
The ‘plant height’ trait for cross EC351887 x
EZ351881 result in complementary epistasis as the
components (d, h, l, i) are positive and highly
significant. The values of (h and l) are in opposite sign
and the positive values of (i) indicate the importance of
additive gene effect for rest of the crosses which
resulted in duplicate epistasis.
The ratio (h/d) indicated partial dominance for the
three crosses Vm x EC359007, X-79-1 x EC351887 and
EC351887 x EZ351881 and over dominance for rest of
the seven crosses.
Thus the trait plant height appears to be influenced
by both additive, dominance and digenic epistatic
interaction effects.
The character primary branches are largely
influenced by both additive and non-allelic interactions.
The ratio (h/d) indicated over dominance for cross
EC359007 X EC351887.The highly significant values
(d, h, l) and negatively significant (i) indicate duplicate
epistasis for all the crosses.
In case of secondary branches six crosses Vm x
EC351887, Vm x EC359007, Vm X EZ351881,
EC359007 x EC351887, EC359007 x EZ351881 and
EC351887 x EZ35188 showed duplicate epistasis. The
dominance component (h) and the dominance
xdominance (l) component are of opposite sign. While
in remaining four crosses Vm x X-79-1, X-79-1 X
EC359007,
X-79-1
X
EZ351881
showed
complementary epistasis. The ratio (h/d) indicated no
dominance for cross Vm x EC351887, partial dominance
for the six crosses Vm X EZ351881, Vm x X-79-1, X79-1 X EZ351881, EC359007 x EC351887, EC359007
x EZ351881 and X-79-1 x EC359007 and over
dominance for the remaining three crosses Vm x
EC359007, X-79-1 x EC359007 and X-79-1 X
EC351887. Thus the secondary branch also showed the
high influence of additive, dominance and interaction
effect.
For pods/plant the (i) and (l) component are highly
significant and comparatively higher than the first order
gene effects, indicating duplicate epistasis for eight
crosses and complementary epistasis for two crosses X79-1 X EC351887 and EC359007 x EC351887.
The degree of dominance varied from partial in
seven crosses to over dominance in two crosses X-79-1
X EC351887 and Vm x EC359007 and no dominance in
the cross X-79-1 X EC359007. The character pod
showed significant influence of both dominance and
non-epistatic effects than the additive.
In case for trait seed/pod all the four genetic
components are highly significant and are in the
increasing order of their magnitudes. The degree of
dominance although appeared partial, the favorable
non-allelic interactions operated for complementary
epistasis on crosses Vm x X-79-1 and EC351887 x
EZ351881 all four genetic component are positive. The
component (h) and (l) are positive for crosses Vm x X79-1, X-79-1 X EC359007, EC359007 x EZ351881.the
results indicated both additive, dominant and epistatic
effects operative for character seed number /pod.
Epistasis of duplicate type and partial dominance
were noted for pod length alone in three crosses Vm x
EC351887, Vm X EZ351881 and EC359007 x
Ec351887 and for pod size (length and width )in six
crosses Vm x X-79-1, Vm x EC359007, X-79-1 X
EC351887, X-79-1 X EC359007, X-79-1 x EZ351881.
Complementary epistasis and over dominance was
noted for pod length in the cross EC359007 x
EZ351881 and pod width in the crosses Vm x
EC351887 and EC359007 x EZ351881. The cross Vm x
EZ351881 also showed complementary epistasis but
with partial dominance for pod width.
The two characters 1000 seed weight and seed
yield/plant showed results identical to pod size. The
value of (i) exceed (h) and two are of opposite sign in
almost all the ten crosses for these two characters .The
additive and non-allelic epistatic effects are highly
significant for both these characters.
Degree of dominance was partial for seven crosses
and exceeds unity for the three crosses X-79-1 x
EZ351881, EC359007 x EC351887. EC351887 x
EZ351881 in respect of 1000 seed weight. For seed
yield/plant over dominance was noted in nine out of ten
crosses and partial dominance for single cross Vm x
EZ351881.
Results from present study regarding the operation
of both additive and non-additive genetic factors in seed
yield and yield components in sesamum are
corroborating most of the earlier reports from diallel
and
generation
mean
analysis
experiments
(Dharmalingam and Ramanathan, 1993; Durga et al.,
1994; Ramesh et al., 1995; Chakraborti and Basu,
1998; Das and Gupta, 1999; Das and Chaudhari, 1999;
Kamala, 1999; Gadkar and Jambhale, 2002; Vijayrajan
et al., 2007).
The additive effects and gene interaction
Dominance X Dominance and complementary gene
interaction can be exploited effectively by selection for
the improvement of characters. Use of biparentl mating
suggested improving the characters when both additive
and non-additive gene action are involved in the
expression of these traits. The different type of gene
effects are useful for analyzing the genetic architecture
of a crop so as to improve further desirable traits. The
estimates obtained from each cross may be unique to
that cross but not applicable to parent population.
Additive genetic variance formed the major part of
genetic variance for traits seed yield/plant, 1000 seed
weight. Plant height, branches, seeds/pod. Thus genetic
improvement in the seed yield/plant triat would be
285 Asian J. Agric. Sci., 4(4): 280-286, 2012
carried through indirect selection for a component
character such as 1000 seed weight than through direct
selection.
Thus, the genetic architecture of the nine characters
in ten crosses of the present study offered scope for
recovery of superior segregates in F2 onwards over the
parents.
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