Six lines and eight crosses were crossed in line x tester fashion to determine the general and specific combining ability variances for yield and yield contributing traits in wheat. The Analysis of Variance indicated that the differences due to crosses were significant for all the characters except protein percent. This indicated the presence of substantial genetic variability among the crosses for these characters. Among the parents two lines (AKAW-4627 and AKAW-4927) and two testers (C-306 and DHTW-60) are found to be good general combiners for yield per plant along with the most of the yield contributing traits. Thus, these parents should be included in further hybridization programme. The highest significant sca effect for grain yield was recorded by the cross AKAW-5023 x WH-7304 followed by AKAW-4627 x C-306, AKAW-4627 x DHTW-60, AKW-1071 x AKW-2862-1, NIAW-34 x AKAW-3717. The crosses AKW-1071 x HTW-11 and PDKV-Sardar x HINDI-62 recorded highly significant sca effects for protein percent and β-carotene content respectively. Among the genotypes AKAW-4627 x C-306, AKAW-4627 x DHTW-60 and AKAW-4927 x DHTW-60 are identified as best combiners for yield and yield contributing traits.

Combining ability analysis was studied in a twelve parents of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Which were crossed in a diallel fashion (without reciprocals) and their 66F1's were grown in a field experiment at Wheat Research Unit, Dr. P.D.K.V., Akola during in 2017-18 to study the combining ability for grain yield and its component traits. The gca and sca components of variances were significant for all studied characters. The (gca/sca) variances below unity in the generation showed the predominance of nonadditive gene actions effects for all the traits. On the basis of general combining ability (gca) effect and per se performance, parents AKAW-5014 and AKAW-4924 emerged as good general combiners for grain yield per plant and average to high combiners for almost all the traits under study. Parent AKW-1071 was good general combiner for number of tiller/ plant and parents AKAW-5014 and AKAW-4924 also exhibited positive gca effects for days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, plant height, number of seed/earhead and grain yield. On the basis of sca effects, the crosses AKW-1071 xHPBW-01, AKAW-5017 x AKAW5014, AKAW-4924 x GW-322 and AKAW-5014 x WB-2 emerged as good specific cross combinations for grain yield per plot. Hybridization scheme for wheat improvement, such as multiple crossing or bi-parental mating could be useful in further manipulation of genes for economic purposes.