Triple test cross analysis to detect of epistasis for Morpho-Physiological traits related to drought tolerance and yield components in maize (Zea mays L)

Three triple test cross set (LM 9 x CM 135, CM 117 x CM 139 and M-16-5 x CM 139) of maize were evaluated under minfed environment for seventeen murph-physiological and yield components to detect the epistasis. Significant mean squares were reported for genotypes, lines, testers and crosses in three cross combinations for all characters. Epistasis was detected for all the traits viz days to 50 tasseling, days to 50 per cent silking, days to maturity, plant height, ear height, leaves per plant, ears per plant, number of barren plants per plot, ear length, ear girth, kernel rows per ear, kernels per row, 100 kernels weight, grain yield per plant, relative water content and proline content in three cross combinations. Epistasis was found absent for anthesissilking interval in crosses CM 117 x CM 139 and M-16-5 x CM 139. Partitioning of total epistasis, indicated presence of significant non-fixable [j + l] epistasis for all traits in all three cross combinations except anthesis silking interval in crosses CM 117 x CM 139 and M-16-5 x CM 139. Fixable [il type of epistasis was reported for kernels per row in all three cross combinations.