Combining ability and heterosis for yield, precocity and height in yellow maize genotypes

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to determine the general combinatorial aptitude (GCA), specific combinatorial aptitude (SCA) and heterosis in inbred lines of yellow maize and its crosses for, the yield of grain, height of plant and ear and days to male and female flowering. Six inbred lines from CIMMYT, their direct crosses and four controls were evaluated at UNALM during 2016-2018, under a 5 x 5 lattice design with four repetitions. The effects of GCA and SCA were calculated using method II, model I of Griffing. Heterosis was measured based on the mean and best parent. Heterosis was measured based on the mean and best parent. The combined analysis of years showed significance (p ≤ 0.01) in: genotypes by years for days to male and female flowering; GCA for years for days to male flowering and SCA for years for days to female flowering. The effects of ACG for grain yield were significant in lines CML 229 and CML 428, for plant height, precocity, ear and precocity CML 487 line highlighted. The effect of ACE was superior in the cross CML 453 x CML 486 for the grain yield character. Heterosis was higher for the grain yield in the CML 229 x CML 453 and CML 453 x CML 487 crosses. The GCA / SCA relationship evidenced effects of additive genes on plant height, days to male and female flowering, therefore, for grain yield and ear height, non-additive effects governed.