1Division of Genetics, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi-110012
*Project Directorate (Wheat), I.A.R.I. New Delhi.
The seven parents and the F, generation of their crosses in all possible combinations (excluding reciprocals) were evaluated under three environments for four components of lodging, viz., height, length of 2nd internode, weight/unit length of 2nd internode and stem diameter. Mean squares due to g.c.a. and g.c.a.x environments were significant for all four characters. Variance due to s.c.a. was significant for all characters except 2nd internode length. The s.c.a. × environment interaction did not assume significance for any of the characters. General combining ability was more important than the specific combining ability in the inheritance of all characters. The simple correlation coefficients between pair of characters for the parents, the F 2′s and the g.c.a. effects of the parents suggested that it was possible to combine short height with higher weight per unit length of 2nd internode and larger stem diameter but shorter length of 2nd internode was associated with smaller stem character.
