GENERAL AND SPECIFIC COMBINING ABILITY IN EARLY MATURING HIGH YIELDING QUALITY PROTEIN MAIZE HYBRIDS

Abstract

Fourteen quality protein maize (QPM) hybrids were generated by crossing seven QPM lines with two testers to estimate combining ability effects for yield and yield attributing traits. The analysis of variance revealed significant differences among the parents and F1 hybrids for all the characters except anthesis silking interval and number of cobs per plant. Combining ability analysis revealed the importance of non-additive gene action in the inheritance of majority of the characters in maize. Thus these crosses can be used directly or exploited for future hybrid breeding programmes to achieve quantum jump in maize improvement. The GCA estimates identified parental lines VIVEK-33 VF2 and NBPGR 32809 as best combiner for grain yield while YHP-Panth and VIVEK-33VF2 were best combiner for earliness. Hence, these parents may be used in hybridization programmes as donors of the superior traits indicated. The best experimental hybrid, on the basis of per se performance and SCA effect for grain yield per plant and its component were observed in VIVEK-33 VF2 × NBPGR 32809, followed by VIVEK- 33 VF2 × NBPGR 31899 and YHP Panth × NBPGR 32809.