Combining Ability and Type of Gene Action Analysis of Yield and Yield Components for Some White Maize Inbred Lines

Abstract

Combining ability analysis were conducted for grain yield, its components, plant and ear heights and days to 50% silking in a half diallel cross involving eight white maize inbred lines. The resulting 28 hybrids and two commercial hybrids (SC10 and SC128) were grown at Sakha, Gemmeiza and Mallawy Research Stations in 2014 growing season. Both general and specific combining ability and their interaction with locations were significantly for most traits. However, the additive gene effects was most responsible for controlling the inheritance of ear height, ear length, ear diameter, number of rows/ear and number of kernels/row while the non additive gene effects was higher than additive gene effects for days to 50% silking, plant height and grain yield. Also, the non-additive gene effects was more interacted with locations than additive gene effects for most studied traits. The best general combiner inbred line was P3 for earliness, P8 for short plant and ear heights, P5 for ear length, number of kernels/row and grain yield, P7 for ear diameter and P1 for number of rows/ear. The best hybrid for specific combining ability was P4 x P7 for grain yield.