Vegetos

Abstract

Field experiment was conducted using half diallel analysis involving 14 high yielding drought tolerant inbreds to generate 91 F₁ hybrids of maize (Zea mays L.) to study the gene action and identify the best combiners for grain yield and its associated traits. The analysis of variances represents significant amounts of variability present among inbreeds for most of the traits studied. The estimates of general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) variances were found significant, it indicated the preponderance of both additive and nonadditive gene actions for the expression of yield controlling traits in maize. The parent CML-359 and CML-41 were found best general combiners, showing significant GCA effect for grain yield and its associated traits, and also simultaneously possessed high per se performance. However, the hybrids, CML-326 × DMR-N-21, HKI 26–24 (1–2) × CM-500, HKI-26-24(1–2) × CML-411, CML-41 × HKI-164-4(1–3)-2 and CML-41 × CM-500 were found best specific combiners for grain yield and its associated traits. The present study revealed that 5 best identified hybrids among 91 hybrids, may be used directly as hybrids for development of synthetics or composites or high yielding hybrids of maize (Zea mays L.).