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The present study was conducted to assess the general combining ability effects of parents and specific combining ability effects of hybrids for qualitative and quantitative traits and explore their use in hybrid development. 28 eggplant hybrids generated by 8 × 8 half diallel were evaluated along with their 8 parents and 2 checks. The ratio of 2gca/ 2sca revealed that all characters except plant spread manifested less than unity which indicated that preponderance of non-additive genetic variance for inheritance of these characters. Among the parents, only GBL-1 was the good general combiner for fruit yield and was also found good general combiner for fruit length, fruit weight, total soluble solids and total sugar. Six high heterotic hybrids were found good in respect of sca effects for fruit yield per plant, which involved poor x average, average x good and average x average gca effects which have high potential for commercial exploitation.

Keywords: Brinjal, half Diallel, qualitative and quantitative traits, general combining ability and specific combining ability