Vol. 11, Issue 1 (2022)

Methodology: Seven inbred lines viz., UDMI-134, UDMI-135, UDMI-136, UDMI-143, UDMI-205, UDMI-206 and UDMI-215 were crossed with three testers viz., HKI-1105, V-341 and V-351 during kharif 2016 in line x tester mating design. Resultant 21 cross combinations,10 parents and one hybrid check viz. PHM-12 were evaluated in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications during Kharif 2017. Mean squares due to genotypes, parents, crosses and parents v/s crosses were significant for all the traits, except days to 50 per cent silking due to genotypes and test weight due to parents and days to 50 per cent silking due to parents vs crosses.

Results: The estimates of specific combining ability (SCA) variance were of higher magnitude than general combining ability (GCA) variance for all the traits. Ratio of σ²_sca / σ²_gca was greater than one for all the traits except grain yield per plant indicating the preponderance of non-additive gene effects. UDMI-206 has been found good general combiner for grain yield, test weight, days to 50 per cent pollen shedding and days to 75 per cent brown husk. Among the testers V-351 has been found good general combiner for all the traits except 50 per cent silking and plant height. The significant positive SCA effects for grain yield per plant was observed in three hybrids viz. UDMI-205 X HKI-1105, UDMI-205 X V-341 and UDMI-134 X V-351. The hybrid UDMI-135 x V-341 manifested positive significant standard heterosis (23.30 percent) for grain yield per plant over the hybrid checks (PHM-12).