Study of genetic variability for yield and yield attributing characters in maize (<em>Zea mays</em> L.)

Abstract

A field experiment with 30 maize inbred lines was conducted to study the genetic variability in maize at Horticulture Research Farm, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Bundelkhand University, Jhansi (U.P.) during Kharif-2018. The estimates of the mean sum of square due to genotypes were highly significant for all the characters indicating the presence of genetic variability in the existing material. The variation was highest for plant height followed by biological yield per plant, seed yield per cob, seed yield per plant, number of seeds per row and harvest index in maize. High PCV and GCV were observed for plant height, cobs per plant, biological yield per plant that indicating greater variability for these traits and their further improvement through selection. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance as per cent of mean for characters like plant height followed by harvest index, cob ear weight, rows per plant, seed yield per cob, biological yield per plant, days to 50 per cent germination, shelling per cent, days to 50 per cent silking suggested that they can be improved through direct selection.