International Journal of Life Science and Agriculture Research

The present study was conducted to assess the combining ability for grain yield and its related components by crossing six diverse maize inbred lines using a half-diallel mating design. A total of 15 F1 hybrids, along with their six parental lines, were evaluated in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Combining ability analysis indicated that both general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) variances were significant for all studied traits, highlighting the importance of both additive and non-additive gene actions. Grain yield was found to be influenced by both types of gene effects. Most of the crosses exhibited significant and positive SCA effects for several traits, particularly those involving low × average and average × average general combiners. Parent P4 showed high GCA effects and demonstrated good general combining ability for most traits, except for number of rows per cob and number of grains per row. A comparison of SCA effects with the GCA effects of the respective parents revealed that crosses with high SCA effects for maturity, number of grains per cob, and grain yield per plant generally involved high × low general combiners. The majority of high-yielding crosses with superior SCA effects for grain yield and grains per cob also involved high × low GCA parents. Based on GCA performance, parents P3 and P4 were identified as promising genotypes and may be utilized as potential sources in future maize hybridization programs.

.

1. Abdel-Moneam, M.A., A.N. Attia, M.I. El-Emery and E.A. Fayed. 2009. Combining ability and heterosis for some agronomic traits in crosses of maize.Pakistan J. Biolo.Sci. 12(5): 433-438.
2. Ahmad. S.Q., S. Khan, M. Ghaffar and P. Ahmad. 2011. Genetic diversity analysis for yieldand other parameters in maize (Zea mays L.) genotype. Asian J. Agril. Sci. 3(5): 385-388. 
3. Ahmed, S., F. Khatun, M.S. Uddin, B.R. Banik and N. A. Ivy. 2008. Combining ability and heterosis in maize (Zea mays L.). Bangladesh J. Pl. Breed.Genet. 21(2): 27-32.
4. Alam, A.K.M.M., S. Ahmed, M. Begum and M.K. Sultan. 2008. Heterosis and combining ability for grain yield and its contributing characters in maize.Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 33 (3): 375-379. 
5. Amiruzzaman, M. 2010. Exploitation of hybrid vigour from normal and quality protein maize crosses. Ph.D Dissertation, Dept. Genetics and Plant Breeding, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, P. 200. 
6. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS). Statistical year book of Bangladesh. Statistic Division, Ministry of Planning, Dhaka, Bangladesh. 2016. P. 92.
7. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS). Statistical year book of Bangladesh. Statistic Division, Ministry of Planning, Dhaka, Bangladesh. 2016. P. 92. 
8. Falconer, D.S. 1981.Introduction of quantitative genetics. Agric. Res. Coun. Unit Amin.Genet., Univ., Edinburg. P.92. 
9. Griffing, B. 1956. Concept of general and specific combining ability in relation to diallel crossing systems. Aust. J. Biol. Sci. 9: 463-493. 
10. Griffings, B. 1956.Concept of general and specific combining in relation of diallel crossing systems. Aus. J. Bio. Sci. 9:463-93.
11. Gurung, D.B., M.L.C. George and Q.D. Delacruz. 2008. Heterosis and combining ability of Nepalese Yellow maize Populations. Book of Abstracts. The 10 th Asian Reg. Maize Workshop. October 20-23, Makassar, Indonesia. P. 88. 
12. Halluer, A.R. and J.B. Miranda. 1981. Quantitative genetics in maize breeding. Iowa State Univ. Press, Ames, USA. 
13. Haluauer, A.R. 1990. Germplasm sources and breeding strategies for line development in the 1990’s.Annu. Corn Shorghum Res. Proc. 45: 64-79. 
14. Ivy, N.A. and M.S. Howlader. 2000. Combining ability in maize. Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 25: 385-392. Kadir, M.M. 2010. Development of quality protein maize hybrids and their adaptation in Bangladesh. PhD Dissertation, Dept. Genetics & Plant Breeding, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh. 
15. Mather, K. and J.L. Jinks. 1971. Biometrical Genetics. Second Edition. Chapman and Hall Ltd. London. 
16. N. M. S. K ARIM, S. AHMED, A. H. AKHI, M. Z. A. T ALUKDER and A. KARIM. 2018. Combining Ability and Heterosis Study in Maize Inbreds throughout Diallel Mating Design. Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 43(4): 599-609. ISSN: 0258-7122 (Print), 2408-8293 (Online).
17. Singh, R.K. Chaudhry, B.D. Biometrical Methods in Quantitative Genetic Analysis. Kalyani Publishers, Ludhiana, New Dehli, India. p. 303. (1979).
18. Wilson, N.D., D.E. Eeibel and McNew. 1078. Diallel analysis of grain yield, percent protein in grain sorghum. Crop Sci. 18: 491-494. 
19. Yan, W. and K. Manjit. 2003. GGE Biplot Analysis. Pp.207-228.