Combining Ability Analysis for Coleoptile Length Seedling Height and Peduncle Length in Spring Wheat

The combining ability was studied in a seven parent diallel F₁ and F₂, progenies for eoleoptile length, seedling height and peduncle length in wheat. Both g.c.a. and s.c.a. variances were important for the characters under study. Parents HUM 18 and 502 were the best general combiners for the characters studied. Per se performance of the parents was related with their g.c.a, effects. The high × low crosses exhibited higher s.c.a. effects than the high × high general combiners. To exploit both additive and nonadditive genetic variances, biparental mating in early generations was suggested.