COMBINING ABILITY ANALYSIS IN THE CULTIVATED STRAWBERRY

Abstract

General and specific combining abilities were analyzed for total, marketable, early, and late yield, and for flower stalk number in a diallel cross of eight strawberry cultivars. Data were recorded from individual seedlings restricted to two runner plants, thereby eliminating variability resulting from differences in plant density. General and specific combining abilities for the five characters were highly significant. Estimates of general combining ability effects taken alone were, in general, of little value in predicting the order of desirability of individual crosses.