Combining ability analysis in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under different environmental conditions

Abstract

A Pooled analysis was carried out to evaluate the general and specific combining ability effects in 9 diverse genotypes of bread wheat of diverse origin of cultivation, their 36 F1’s and 2 checks during Rabi 2020-21 at RCA, Udaipur in three different environments for grain yield and its component traits. Analysis of variance revealed the differences between parents and crosses for GCA and SCA, respectively due to GCA and SCA effects were significant for all the characters except days to 50 % flowering in E3 (GCA) on pooled basis. Similarly, mean squares due to GCA x E and SCA x E were significant for all characters revealed influence of environment on GCA and SCA, respectively. The variance due to GCA was higher than their respective SCA for all characters except spike length, awn length and harvest index indicated that additive type of gene action played role in the expression of all the traits. Among parents, DBW 173, HD 2967, GJW 463 and RAJ 4120 were exhibited significant GCA effects for grain yield and its component traits. Maximum significant positive GCA effects were exhibited by parent DBW 173 (1.80) over the environments. Among crosses, thirteen crosses recorded showed significant SCA effects for grain yield and its related traits. Cross, HD 2967 x DBW 173 was exhibited maximum positive significant SCA effects for grain yield and harvest index in the environments as well as on pooled basis. Cross, HD 2967 x DBW 173 depicted maximum SCA effects (4.00) followed by RAJ 3777 x RAJ 4120 (2.92) for grain yield over environments. Attempting cross combinations involving different parents with high GCA for desirable yield and other traits could be useful.