Heterosis Evaluation in Single Pair Wise F1 Progenies of Vernonia Species

Objective The objective of this study was to examine the parent-hybrid relationships in single pair wise F1 crosses between Ikom and Riverine bitter leaf cultivars in Awka, Southeastern Nigeria. Overview The experiment was conducted during the 2024 and 2025 cropping seasons at the Teaching and Research Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. The one-way crosses involved Ikom x Ikom, Riverine x Riverine and Ikom x Riverine in a Pair-wise mating design which were replicated three times on a RCBD Experimental site. The leaves of the progenies were tested for phytochemical and proximate compositions at the Biotechnology Lab National Root Crop Research Institute Umuahia, Abia State. Results Evaluation at 5% degree level of significance showed that Ikom x Riverine (I1 x R1) hybrid progeny outperformed the Ikom x Ikom (I1 x I2), and Riverine x Riverine(R1 x R2) inbred lines in all the measured agronomic parameters showing high mid parent heterosis (MPH) estimate in plant height(65%), number of branches(73%), number of leaves (67%), measured leaf area(82%), stem girth(23%) and longest branch length(88%). Positive heterosis for fat (+60%), and vitamin C (+8.9%) showed nutritional superiority. Among the phytochemical parameters, the same hybrid progeny showed negative MPH in Alkaloids (-12%), Saponins (-20%) and Oxalates (-12%) which indicated better palatability and digestibility. Conclusion The Ikom x Riverine cross progeny high heterosis on agronomic and nutritional components makes it a high yielding and nutritious bitter leaf hybrid that is relatively less bitter and well situated for commercial production. Although F1 off springs are highly heterogeneous and tend to lose most of its desirable traits in further crosses, the progeny can conveniently be multiplied through cloning which retains most of these traits.