Assessment of combining ability for yield and yield contributing traits in sweet corn

Abstract

An investigation was carried out to assess the combining ability and nature of gene action in sweet corn genotypes using Line x Tester mating design using ten lines and five testers. Investigation on combining ability indicated the predominance of non-additive gene action for all the traits under study. The variance due to genotypes was highly significant among the parents and hybrids for all the traits studied. This result strongly suggests the utilisation of heterosis breeding methods to exploit hybrid vigour. The lines L1, L8, L7, L10 and testers T1, T5 had superior per se performance for yield and yield contributing traits. The results also revealed that, the lines L1, L7 and testers T1, T5 had high per se performance coupled with high gca for most of the yield attributing traits. Based on per se performance and sca effects, the hybrids L2 x T2, L1 x T1, L1 x T5, L7x T4and L4x T1 were found to be good. Among these hybrids,L2 x T2 was considered best because it recorded highest per se performance coupled with high sca for yield and yield contributing traits.