DIALLEL ANALYSIS OF EAR MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERS IN MAIZE (ZEA MAYS L.)

Abstract

General and specific combining abilities were estimated for ear and grain characters in maize using 6-parent diallel cross excluding reciprocals. Variation due to general combining ability (gca) was highly significant for ear length, ear diameter, ear and cob weighUplant, kernel depth, and lOo-kernel weight. Specific combining ability (sca) was very important for kernel depth and ear diameter. Variation due to gca was more pronounced than due to sca indicating the importance of additive gene effects.