Combining ability and heterosis in maize (Zea mays L.) for grain yield and yield components

Abstract

An investigation was carried out to assess the combibing ability and heterosis for nine characters viz., days to 50% tasseling, days to 50% silking, days to maturity, plant height, cob length, kernel rows per cob, 100-seed weight, protein content and grain yield per plant in 29 genotypes (twenty one hybrids, their seven parents along with a check). Combining ability studies revealed that, the line DHK-12-2091 found to be good combiner for the traits, grain yield per plant, kernel rows per cob, 100-seed weight and protein content while another line DHK-12-2003 also found to be good combiner for 100-seed weight, protein content, days to 50% tasseling and days to 50% silking. Therefore these lines can be utilized in improvement of the respective traits in any breeding programme where hybridization is involved. Among all the crosses, based on average heterosis, heterobeltiosis, standard heterosis, sca effects and per se performance, the cross DHK-12-2141 × DHK-12-2047 was identified as a promising hybrid for majority of characters studied. However it has not recorded significant standard heterosis for grain yield per plant.