Combining ability study in a 6x6 diallel cross of maize

ABSTRACT

The F[1] generation of 6x6 diallel cross in maize was evaluated for combining ability under irrigated conditions of Dera Ismial Khan, Pakistan. Based on the variance data, general combining ability [GCA] and specific combining ability [SCA] showed the importance of additive gene effect in some characters under study like kernel rows/ear, kernels/ear, 1000 grain weight and grain yield. The results showed that F[1] mean squares due to GCA were highly significant for all the parameters under observation. Higher magnitude of GCA components of variance [%] for kernels/ear, 1000 grain weight and grain yield, indicated predominance of additive and additive type of gene action while for kernel rows/ear, and kernels/row, nearly equal importance of both additive and non-additive gene effects were observed. The estimates of GCA effects revealed that parents Jalal and Sarhad White were good general combiners for most of the traits under discussion. The crosses, Kisan x Azam and Azam x Sadaf showed good SCA effects with excellent mean performance for most of the traits studied in F[1]