Diallel analysis for grain yield and its contributing traits in maize inbreds over environments

Full Diallel mating design was used to determine combining abilities of eight maize inbred lines and their hybrid combinations for grain yield, ear length, ear diameter, number of kernel rows per ear, 1000 kernel weight in two environments. GCA and SCA mean squares were significant for all traits under study in both the environments. Ratio GCA/SCA showed that additive gene effect had prevalent influence in the inheritance of grain yield, ear length, number of kernel rows per ear. Non additive gene actions had larger importance in the inheritance of ear diameter and 1000 kernel weight. Two inbred lines K1105 and BAUMI-2 showed highest GCA effect (4.73**) and (4.47**), respectively for grain yield. BAUMI-2 showed highest GCA effect (1.00**) for ear length. K1105 showed high GCA effect for kernel rows/ear (0.45**) and 1000 kernel weight (5.32**) over environment. Hybrid combination HKI 323×BAUMI-2 showed largest SCA effect (8.81**) for grain yield over environments. Hybrid combination BAUMI-1×HKI 323 showed largest SCA effect (2.78**) for ear length. This cross showed that hybrid combination including one parent with good GCA effect and the other parent with bad GCA effect can have very successful performance. Cross CM212×HKI 323 showed highest SCA effect (21.19**) for 1000 kernel weight. This cross showed that hybrid combination including both parent with average GCA effect can have good performance. It will be useful during selection material testing, to keep also genotypes which show lower GCA effect, but have phenotypic favourable trait values. Reciprocal effect was significant for all traits. Reciprocal of cross CM153×BAUMI-2 proved to be high yielder (76.74q/ha) among all the crosses and reciprocals when line BAUMI-2 was used as female parent. Higher 1000 kernel weight (292.5g) was achieved when line HKI 323 was used as female parent in reciprocal cross HKI 323×CM 153.