Studies on combining ability through line × tester analysis in maize (Zea Mays L.)

Abstract

An investigation was carried out in maize involving seven lines (AU121, AU161, AU183, AU562, AU617, AU720 and AU530), three testers (AU21, AU44 and AU51) and standard check as dragon to identify the best combining parents, nature of gene action with yield and yield component traits. The parents were mated in a L × T design. The resultant twenty one hybrids were evaluated for ten characters viz., plant height, days to 50% silking, days to maturity, cob weight, ear length, ear girth, number of grain rows per ear, number of grains per row,100 grain weight and grain yield per plant. Based on per se performance, the line AU161, AU183 and AU720 and the testers AU44 and AU51 were adjusted as the best for most of traits and for gca effects the line AU61 and tester AU44 exhibited as the best for most of the traits studied. Among hybrids, AU720/AUP44, AU161/AU44 and AU183/AU51 exhibited high per se performance and AU720/AUP44, AU183/AU44 exhibited high sca effects for all the economic traits. Study of combining ability variance revealed that the σ2 sca were greater in magnitude than the σ2 gca indicating the preponderance of non-additive gene action for all the ten traits. The hybrids AU720/AU44, AU161/AU51 and AU121/AU21 showed desirable performance based on per se performance, sca for most of the economic traits and so those hybrids can be exploited for further crop improvement.