Department of Plant Breeding, G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar
1Present address: International Institute for Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, NIGERIA.
*Part of the research work submitted or Ph.D. degree bv senior author to the G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar.
The nature of combining ability for resistance to brown stripe downy mildew in maize was studied in a set of diallel crosses involving eight inbreds, namely—CM 101, CM 201, Eto, DA-l, Cuba 24, CM 110, GT 112 and KT 41. Both general and specific combining ability variances were significant for resistance to brown stripe downy mildew. It was found that Eto, DA-1 and CM 201 contributed maximum number of favourable alleles for resistance as observed from their gca effects. The resistant F1 hybrids generally included one resistant parent.
