Abstract
Development of high-yielding hybrids of maize depends on good understanding of combining ability and inheritance of yield trait. To achieve this goal, synthetic populations of lines are developed and improved upon by recurrent selection to be utilized as initial material for the creation of inbred lines. Therefore, the aims of the present paper were: to determine the combining ability among some inbred lines developed from composites and commercial hybrids by recurrent selection method and to choose the most promising inbreds for maize yield improvement and the most suitable hybrid combinations. The highest value of the general combining ability (GCA) was obtain from inbred line TA 447 (1,655 kg ha-1) followed by tester TC 399 (233 kg ha-1). For the specific combining ability (SCA), TA 447 × TC 385 A, TA 427 × TC 399, TA 428 × TC 399 and CO 305 × TD 268 had good compatibility. The research concluded that GCA was more important that SCA, indicating that the additive genetic effects are mainly involved in the heredity of yield potential of maize. For the non-additive effects to increase, the next selection cycles must focus on plants’ pairs with more pronounced heterosis for the yield trait.
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