Estimation of heterosis and combining ability in soybean (glycine max (l.) Merril) by diallel cross analysis [electronic resource].

Includes references.

Nine attributes were measured in F1 soybean crosses and their parents of a 5x5 diallel cross, excluding reciprocals. Five parents were used namely; Lamar, D79-8070, Giza35, PI416937 and L86K-73. F1 hybrids gave average heterosis values over their midparent of 19.01% for plant height, 9.48% for number of branches per plant, 50.59% for number of pods per plant, 48.75% for number of seeds per plant and 56.34% for seed yield per plant. Hybrids were earlier in flowering and maturity than their later parents. Genotype mean squares were found to be highly significant for all the studied traits, except number of branches per plant. Both general and specific combining ability values were significant for all traits, except number of branches per plant, indicating the importance of additive, as well as nonadditive gene action in the inheritance of these traits.

Summary in Arabic.

1