

To get the most out of heterosis for hybrid cultivar production, germplasm must be divided into distinct heterotic groups. Heterosis is a critical factor in hybrid generation, particularly for traits driven by non-additive gene activity. The lack of a broad genetic foundation is the most significant constraint to crop improvement and a major bottleneck in breeding operations. Any crop improvement program's success is contingent on the presence of a significant level of genetic diversity and heritability. A crucial requirement for discovering crosses with significant levels of exploitable heterosis is knowledge of the quantity of heterosis in different cross combinations. In a variety of crop species, heterosis has been widely employed to boost output and extend the adaptability of hybrid types. A plant breeder's ultimate goal is to achieve desirable heterosis (hybrid vigor). To put it another way, heterosis is defined as an increase in the character value of F1 hybrids when compared to the average value of both parents. Heterosis is the expression of an F1 hybrid's dominance over its parents in a given feature, as measured not by the trait's absolute value, but by its practical use. As a result, information on combining ability is required to determine the crossing pairs in the production of hybrid varieties. The genotype's ability to pass the intended character to the offspring is referred to as combining ability. Genetic variety is crucial to the effectiveness of yield improvement efforts because it helps to broaden gene pools in any given crop population. Information on combining ability and heterosis of parents and crossings is crucial in breeding efforts.
