Heterosis and Combining Ability in Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.): A Review

Abstract

This review investigates the intricate dynamics of heterosis and combining ability in brinjal (Solanum melongena L.), elucidating their implications in breeding strategies for this economically important vegetable crop. Heterosis, or hybrid vigor, manifests in offspring displaying superior traits compared to their parents, offering increased yield potential, disease resistance, and adaptability. Understanding the genetic underpinnings of heterosis is pivotal for exploiting hybrid vigor effectively in brinjal breeding. Additionally, the concept of combining ability, reflecting the contribution of parental genotypes to desirable trait expression in offspring, is crucial for hybrid development. Various genetic and molecular mechanisms, including dominance, overdominance, epistasis, and genomic imprinting, influence heterosis and combining ability in brinjal. The review emphasizes the importance of proper parental selection, breeding methods, and environmental factors in optimizing these phenomena, proposing the integration of traditional and modern breeding approaches for enhanced brinjal productivity, quality, and resilience to biotic and abiotic stresses. The review assists brinjal breeding programs greatly through developing fundamental knowledge in heterosis and combining ability that deals with yield, disease resistance, and adaptability traits. Consequently, this review has provided a conceptualized account of how these traits have been successfully shaped by the key preconditions of parental selection, breeding techniques, and environments to provide new strategies for advancing the breeding of this important crop species.”