Combining ability studies in maize (Zea mays L.) for yield and its attributing traits using Griffing’s diallel approach

Studies on combining ability and heterosis were carried out at Agricultural Research Farm, PAJANCOA & RI, Karaikal, during kharif 2013 for thirteen agronomic yield traits viz., 100 grain weight, grain yield for 30 single cross hybrids developed using 6 x 6 full diallel method. The combining ability analysis revealed the presence of higher magnitude of SCA than GCA variance for all characters under study. The ratio of additive to dominance variance was lower than unity for all traits, indicating higher non additive variance than additive variance. Among the 6 parents, inbred line namely UMI 213 was found to be the best parent for grain yield, however, The estimates of sca effects has resulted in the identification of the following hybrids viz., UMI 66 x UMI 112, UMI 112 x UMI 213 and UMI 122 x UMI 133 as best ones, since these above hybrids registered significant and favourable sca effects for majority of the traits including grain yield per plant.