Combining Ability for Yield and Maturity in Early Maturing Maize Under High Plant Population Densities

Eight early-maturing, open pollinated varieties of maize and their 28 F₁ crosses were grown in two population densities in a split-plot design. Data were collected on grain and stover yield, days to tassel, days to silk, days to mature and grain moisture. The s.c.a. effects were non-significant and g.c.a. effects significant for grain moisture. Greater role of additive genetic variance was suggested for all the characters studied. ‘Bassi Selected’ and ‘Rutherford Composite’ were the best combiners for yield characters but were poor for maturity characters. ‘A 52’ and ‘A 54’ expressed good g.c.a. effects for maturity but poor for yield characters. Combining ability X environment interactions were generally non-significant; the few significant interactions were of lower magnitude in comparison to their corresponding main effects.