Combining Ability and Gene Action for Grain Yield and Its Component Traits in Yellow Grained Single Cross Hybrids of Maize (Zea mays L.)

Five maize inbred lines and their 10 direct crosses produced through half-diallel scheme were evaluated with two checks during kharif-2014 for grain yield and its component traits. The crosses namely JP25 W95 × CM-138 and CML-439 × CM-138 recorded higher level of economic heterosis for grain yield. Combining ability analysis suggested the preponderance of non-additive gene action for majority of the traits viz., grain yield, 100-kernel weight, ear length, ear girth and number of grain rows per cob. Out of the five parents, namely CM-138, CML-439 and JP25 W95 recorded significant general combining ability effects in desirable direction for grain yield and its component traits. The crosses JP25 W95 × CM-138 and CML-439 × CM-138 recorded significant SCA effects for grain yield and 100-kernel weight. The parents CM-138, CML-439 and JP25 W95 can be used for development of superior transgressive hybrids.