Abstract

                                Combining ability for yield and yield components in all ten characters were studied in a set of 10 inbred lines and their all possible direct single crosses. Non additive gene action was predominant for plant height, ear height, ear length, ear girth, number of rows per ear, number of grains per row, number of grains per ear, 1000 grain weight, grain weight of 5 ears and yield per plot, though both GCA and SCA variances were significant. Three inbreds viz., X 102, A-670 and H-98 were found to be good general combiners for grain yield. Single crosses 1 x 4, 8x 9 and 2 x 8 had exhibited high sca effects as well as high yields. The selection of Inbreds may be made based on their gea and sca effects simultaneously and breeding approaches which exploit both these genetic parameters may be practised in the materials reported.

Key words : Maize, Yield, Genetics, Combining ability.