Book Description

Combining ability analysis for yield and its component traits was undertaken with five lines and 30 testers using Line x Tester mating design. The estimated components of variance for Specific Combining Ability (SCA) effectswere larger in magnitude than the General Combining Ability (GCA) effects for all the characters, indicating the predominance of non-additive gene action for control of these characters. The predominance of variance due to SCA over GCA showed that non-additive type of gene action was involved for all the traits studied. The estimates of GCA effects indicated that the parent ICMA 94111A1 was a good combiner for all the traits studied except the grain yield per plant. An overview of the mean performance and the GCA effects of parents revealed that the ICMA 88004A and testers PT 5447, PT 5451 and PT 5480 were identified as good parents for further breeding program. The ICMA 88004A x PT 5433, 732A x PT 5172, ICMA 88004A x PT 5480, 81A x PT 5656 and PT 5054A x PT 5451 were identified as superior hybrids and can be effectively utilized for hybrid breeding programs.