EXPLOITATION OF COMBINING ABILITY FOR HETEROSIS IN MAIZE (ZEA MAYS L.)

Abstract

Combining ability and hetorosis studies were carried out using 45 single crosses derived form 15 x 3 line x tester mating for grain yield, days to silking, plant height, cob height, Number of leaves per plant, days to brown husk, number of grains per row and 100-grain weight. Analysis revealed that both additive and non-additive gene effects were more important for all the characters. From the results, inbred lines L3, L5, L7, L10 and L15 were found good general combiners for grain yield. On the basis of heterosis and sca effects four hybrids L5 x T1, L6 x L10 x T1 x T3 were found superior for yield and yield contributing characters.