Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad 580 005.
1 Address for correspondence: Division of Genetics, IARI, New Delhi 110 012.
2 Scientist (Breeding) Legumes Program, ICRISAT, Patancheru, Hyderabad 502 324.
Combining ability analysis was carried out for yield, protein and oil content and other traits related to productivity in a half diallel set involving seven parents. The estimates of sca variances were higher than gca variances for all the seven characters. Values of the ratio indicated that for traits like protein content, grain yield and days to maturity, non-additive gene effects were predominant. The mean values of parents reflected their combining ability effects in general and genotypes KHSb-2 and DS 74–62 were good general combiners for yield and yield contributing characters. The high performing crosses for yield involved parents with High x Low and Low x Low gca effects. Based on the results, suitable breeding strategies are suggested.
Soybean, Glycine max, combining ability
