Combining ability studies in oats (Avena sativa L.) for seed yield

Combining ability studies in oats (Avena sativa L.) for seed yield was carried out to generate information on general and specific combining ability and nature and magnitude of gene effects for seed yield and their attributing traits. The experimental materials comprized of 10 diverse parents and 45 F₁ crosses (excluding reciprocals) generated through diallel mating design. The experimental material was evaluated in a randomized complete block design over 3 locations. Observations were recorded on 4 quantitative characters. Significant interactions between combining ability effects and environments were observed for all the traits. The estimates of dominance variance were higher in magnitude than their corresponding additive genetic variance in individual as well as pooled analysis indicating preponderance of non-additive gene action for all traits. Estimate of average degree of dominance revealed preponderance of over-dominance for all the traits. Parents ‘SKO-207’ and ‘SKO-208’ were identified as a good general combiner for all the traits viz., spikelets panicle⁻¹, 1000-seed weight, seed length: breadth ratio and seed yield plant⁻¹. The most promising crosses showing highly positive and significant SCA effect for seed yield were SKO-211 x SKO-213, SKO-207 x SKO-208, SKO-210 x SKO-212, SKO-209 x SKO-210, SKO-210 x SKO-213, SKO-208 x SKO-213 and SKO-208 x SKO-211.