Combining Abilities in Single Cross Hybrid of Quality Protein Maize for Grain Yield and Its Components

Abstract

A trial involving five females normal maize and three males of Quality protein maize (parents) were mated in a line x tester mating design in 2012. The resultant 15 F₁ crosses and 8 parents were evaluated in 2012/2013 using lattice II design replicated three times at Institute for Agricultural Research, A.B.U Samaru, Zaria. Seven agronomic traits of parents and F₁ were studied to determine their general and specific combining abilities (GCA, SCA), highly significant differences was observed among the genotypes for all traits except plant height, ear height and ear weight. Sammaz 32 and sammaz 15 were the best parents in terms of G C A for grain yield parameters and most traits, In terms of SCA, hybrids sammaz 17 x sammaz 11 (2471.11) and sammaz 32 x sammaz 15 (1923.7) were the best in terms of grain yield and most traits . The highest value was between plant height and Grain yield. It was suggested that a three way hybrid crosses could be employed to improve the desired character in the population.

Keywords: Combining ability, Quality Protein maize, Yield, Yield Components.