Department of Agricultural Botany, University of Udaipur, Udaipur
1Present address: Department of Agricultural Botany, Gujarat Agricultural University, Anand-388110.
2Present address: Cummings Laboratory, I A.R.I., New Delhi.
3Present address: Gujarat Agricultural University, Junagadh Campus, Junagadh.
Gene effects and nature of heterosis were determined in eight, early-maturing varieties of maize for grain yield, harvest index and four ear characters by the procedure of Gardner and Eberhart (1966). Additive genetic effects were predominant for grain yield, ear length, ear girth, cob girth and number of grain-rows. The study supported the importance of harvest index for improving maize yield. Early maturing varieties of maize provide a genetic background in which expressivity of both harvest index ard biological yield can be simultaneously improved.
