Combining ability analysis for grain yield and component traits in yellow maize single crosses

Combining ability analysis was undertaken in 30 yellow maize single crosses generated following line x tester design to evaluate combining ability of parental inbred lines for identification of superior single crosses for grain yield and its component traits. Variances due to females, males and females x males were significant for all traits, except ear length and ear girth in case of males. Non additive gene effects were observed for all traits in single crosses. Two female lines PMI-3010, CL-2442 and a male line, PMI-6128 were best general combinerfor grain yield. The single crosses CML-324-1 x PMI-6128, PMI-6125 x PMI-6128, PMI-3009 x CML-399, PMI-6118 x CML-399 and CML-324-2 x PMI3009 exhibited highly significant sca effects for grain yield and some of its component traits. The cross CML-324-1 x PMI-6128 was identified as a potential single cross with highest grain yield (70.63 q ha⁻¹) for multi-Iocational testing under mid hill ecology of Jammu region.