Coheritability in wilt tolerant maize hybrids

Intra-group co-heritability of different pairs of characters involving days to 50% silking, days to 50% tasselling, days to 75% dryhusk, plant height(cm), ear height(cm), shelling percentage, ear length(cm), ear girth(cm), kernel rows, kernels per row, test weight(g) and grain yield per hectare(kg) in 55 hybrids of maize of varied wilt tolerance was determined. Further, coefficients of variability and broad sense heritabilities were estimated. The results showed co-heritability values depended upon the material chosen. Nevertheless, selection criteria on the basis of high co-heritability value exhibited by a few character pairs involving yield was formed. The highest value of co-heritability was found between grain yield with shelling percentage followed by ear height (cm), kernels per row and test weight (g). On the other hand, highest heritability estimates were found in test weight (g) followed by shelling percentage and ear girth (cm). The simultaneous selection of these characters would lead to increase in grain yield and that the selection should lead to fast genetic improvement of the material.