DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH-YIELDING SESAME (SESAMUM INDICUM L.) GENOTYPES UNDER DROUGHT STRESS CONDITIONS

Abstract

Ten drought-tolerant and six sensitive lines with their resultant crosses emerged from crossing in the Line × Tester mating design, then evaluated at the maturity stage in the field. Data recorded for morphological and physiological parameters took place, as well as, for drought tolerance and yieldrelated traits. Recorded data followed analysis to access the variability in germplasm and general and specific combining ability effects. Combining ability analysis exhibited variable direction and magnitude of specific combining ability effects among crosses and general combining effects among line and testers. Results showed the breeding material had genetic variability that can serve in developing drought-tolerant and high-yielding genotypes of Sesamum indicum L. The testers 93004 and 96019 and Lines 90005 and 96006 revealed the best general combiners under normal and drought stress. Results of SCA indicated that 95001 × 97005, 97007 × 97001, 95010 × 93004, TH-6 × 96019, and 90005 × 96014 exhibited to have positive significant specific combining ability effects for most of the traits under control and drought stress conditions that can undergo further evaluation for growing under drought conditions. The fresh and dry weight of seedlings and 1000-seed weight traits proved useful as selection criteria in developing drought-tolerant types in sesame.