Combining ability of eight yellow maize (zea mays l. )inbred lines for different characters in diallel crosses [electronic resource].

Includes references.

Eight diverse inbreds were crossed in a half diallel at Sakha Research Station in 2003 summer season. The 28 Fls and the two checks were planted at Sakha and Sids Agric. Res. Stations in a randomized complete block design" with four replications, in 2004 summer season. Combined analysis for the two locations was performed for grain yield, ear length, number of rows/ear, number of ears/100 plant, resistance to late wilt disease, plant height and sillung date. Estimates of combining ability effects according to Griffing (1956) Method 4 Model I were determined. Both additive and non-additive gene actions were found to be important in controlling of grain yield, ear length, resistance to late wilt disease, plant height and silking date; and only additive gene action in controlling of number of rows/ear and number of ears/100 plant. However, additive gene action seemed to be more an important than non-additive effect in the expression of all characters except resistance to late wilt disease. Also additive gene action was more interacted with the environment than non-additive action for all characters, except for number of ears/100 plant. The highest desirable values of GCA effects were obtained from SkI2l inbred for grain yield, ear length and number of ears/I00 plant, while Sk N14 inbred for number of rows/ear and plant height, Sk817 inbred for resistance to late wilt disease and Sk UI0 inbred for silking date. The cross Sk NI4 x SkI2I exhibited significant superiority over SCI55 and SC Pioneer 3080 commercial hybrids for grain yield, ear length, number of rowslear and number of ears/100 plant. This new cross will the recommended for further tests.

Summary in Arabic.

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