An investigation entitled “Heterosis manifestation of MAGIC lines over the prevalent lines of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)” was carried out with 40 genotypes, in F4 derived F5 MAGIC lines, consisting of eight parents. ICC-4958, ICCV-10, JAKI-9218, JG-11, JG-130, JG-16, ICCV-97105, ICCV-00108 during rabi 2012-13 and 2013-14.The observations were recorded for quantitative traits namely, days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, plant height (cm), pods per plant, primary branches, secondary branches, pod length (cm), seed yield (g), 100 seed weight (g),seeds per pod, root length (cm), root weight-fresh and dry (g), relative water content of leaf and partitioning coefficient to roots, stem, leaves and pods. The information was derived on mean performance, range, phenotypic and genotypic coefficient of variation, heritability, genetic advance and heterosis. The highly significant variability was found amongst genotypes. For most of the characters the range in the mean performance was quite wide. The phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation were found high in F5 generation. Seed yield and pod per plant exhibited very high heritability. Also high (plant height, 100 seed weight and secondary branches) to very high (seed yield and pod per plant) genetic advance was recorded. Root length and relative water content of leaf showed very high heritability and genetic advance, too. High heterosis was exhibited in characters like primary branches, secondary branches, pods per plant, grain yield, root length, partitioning coefficient to pods and relative water content.
