Author(s):

Pawan Kumar and Shyam Sunder Mandal

Abstract: Combining ability studies for yield and its attributing traits were carried out in rabi maize (Zea mays L.) using 30 F₁’s, 10 lines, 3 testers and two checks DHM-117 and DKC-9081 and were evaluated for 14 different quantitative characters at Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bhagalpur. The analysis of variance for combining ability showed the presence of both additive and non-additive gene actions. The SCA variance component was found to be higher than the respective GCA variance component for all the traits except for cob length, number of kernels per row and harvest index, indicating the multitude of non-additive gene action for inheritance of most of the traits. Further combining ability estimates revealed L₁, L₂, L₇ and T₂ among the lines and testers respectively to be good general combiner for grain yield and its contributing characters. These parental lines could be utilized in improvement of traits directly correlated with grain yield. On the basis of mean performance, SCA effects, standard heterosis for yield and its attributing traits crosses namely L7 x T3, L6 x T2, L2 x T3 and L2 x T2 proves a best combination of these parents in exploitation of heterosis for grain yield and its other attributing traits.

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