1Department of Plant Biotechnology, Centre for Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Veppanthattai-621116
2Department of Crop Physiology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Veppanthattai-621116
3Cotton Research Station, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Veppanthattai-621116
4Department of Plant Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics, Centre for Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore-641003, Tamil Nadu, India
*E-Mail: senthil_natesan@tnau.ac.in
Online published on 30 July, 2020.
Maize (Zea mays) is an important multipurpose cereal crop. Single-cross hybrids play a crucial role in maize cultivation in terms of acreage and production. The combining ability and heterosis are prime criteria for efficacious maize improvement and breeding. This study was focused to access the performances of hybrids, and to estimate heterosis and combining ability for grain yield and yield-related traits. The present study was conducted using 16 parents and 28 F1 cross combinations of maize hybrids during rabi 2019 to identify the best inbred lines and hybrid combinations. The overall study of gca effects suggested that the parents CBM-DL-448, CBM-DL- 435, CBM-DL- 360 and UMI1230 were found to be good general combiners for desirable yield-related traits. Among the hybrids, CBM-DL-360 × UMI 1200, CBM-DL-435 × UMI 1230, and CBM-DL-448 × UMI 1230 exhibited positive and significant sca effects and standard heterosis for single plant yield.
Maize, Combining ability, Heterosis, Hybrids
