International Journal of Agriculture, Environment and Biotechnology
Citation: IJAEB: 8(2): 271-283 June 2015
DOI Number: 10.5958/2230-732X.2015.00034.0
©2015 New Delhi Publishers. All rights reserved
GENETICS
Heterosis studies in diallel crosses of maize for yield and
yield attributing traits in maize ( Zea mays L.) over locations
V.ȱRamȱReddy*,ȱFarzanaȱJabeenȱandȱM.R.Sudarshan
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, Hyderabad, Telangana
State, India.
*Corresponding author: pbrsrddy@gmail.com
Paper No. 318
Received: 18 March 2014
Accepted: 21 April 2015
Published: 28 June 2015
Abstract
Aȱ studyȱ wasȱ undertakenȱ toȱ estimateȱ theȱ heterotic,ȱ heterobeltioticȱ andȱ standardȱ heteroticȱ effectsȱ ofȱ
11ȱcharactersȱofȱ45ȱmaizeȱhybridsȱdevelopedȱbyȱtenȱparentsȱinȱmaizeȱduringȱ rabi ,ȱ2011-12ȱoverȱthreeȱ
locationsȱ viz., ȱCollegeȱFarm,ȱRajendranagarȱ(Hyderabad),ȱAgriculturalȱResearchȱStation,ȱKarimnagarȱ
andȱAgriculturalȱResearchȱStation,ȱKampasagar,ȱNalgondaȱDistrict,ȱT.S.ȱTheȱpooledȱanalysisȱofȱvarianceȱ
(Diallel)ȱrevealedȱsignificantȱdifferencesȱamongȱlocationsȱandȱgenotypesȱforȱallȱtheȱcharactersȱstudied.ȱ
Theȱcrossesȱexhibitedȱsignificantȱdifferences,ȱindicatingȱvaryingȱperformanceȱofȱcrossȱcombinations.ȱ
Theȱparentȱ vs ȱcrossesȱwhichȱindicatesȱaverageȱheterosis,ȱforȱallȱtheȱtraits,ȱthusȱconsiderableȱamountȱofȱ
averageȱheterosisȱwasȱreflectedȱinȱhybrids.ȱNegativeȱstandardȱheterosisȱwasȱobservedȱforȱdaysȱtoȱ50ȱperȱ
centȱtasseling,ȱdaysȱtoȱ50ȱperȱcentȱsilkingȱandȱdaysȱtoȱmaturityȱdueȱtoȱearlinessȱinȱthreeȱhybridsȱoverȱ
checksȱDHM-117ȱandȱ900ȱMȱGoldȱwereȱBML-2782ȱXȱBML-5233-5,ȱCM-211ȱXȱBML-5233-5ȱandȱBML-2486ȱ
XȱBML-2.ȱFiveȱcrossesȱ viz. ȱBML-15ȱXȱBML-2910,ȱBML-7ȱXȱBML-3044,ȱCM-211ȱXȱBML-7,ȱBML-6ȱXȱBML-2ȱ
andȱBML-2782ȱXȱBML-6ȱwereȱidentifiedȱasȱpotentialȱhybridsȱwithȱmoreȱthanȱ12%ȱstandardȱheterosisȱforȱ
grainȱyieldȱoverȱbetterȱyieldingȱcommercialȱhybridȱcheckȱDHM-117.ȱTestingȱofȱtheseȱhybridsȱinȱallȱIndiaȱ
coordinatedȱtrialsȱacrossȱtheȱdifferentȱstatesȱofȱtheȱcountryȱmayȱresultȱinȱidentificationȱofȱbetterȱhybridsȱ
inȱtheȱnearȱfutureȱforȱcommercialȱexploitation.
Highlights
involvedȱinȱtheȱcrossingȱshouldȱhaveȱoneȱhighȱ per se ȱperformingȱparentȱandȱoverȱdominanceȱmayȱ
beȱtheȱcauseȱofȱheterosis.
andȱBML-2782ȱXȱBML-6ȱwereȱrecordedȱmoreȱstandardȱheterosisȱforȱgrainȱyieldȱoverȱcommercialȱ
checkȱDHMȱ117ȱandȱoffersȱgreatȱscopeȱforȱexploitationȱofȱtheȱhybridȱvigourȱonȱcommercialȱscale.
Keywords :ȱHeterosis,ȱmaize,ȱmultilocationȱtesting,ȱyieldȱattributes
Maizeȱ ( Zea mays ȱ L.)ȱ isȱ oneȱ ofȱ theȱ mostȱ importantȱ toȱ hugeȱ demand,ȱ particularlyȱ forȱ poultryȱ feedȱ
cerealȱ cropȱ andȱ occupiesȱ aȱ prominentȱ positionȱ isȱ industry;ȱ besidesȱ maizeȱ hasȱ diversifiedȱ usesȱ asȱ
globalȱ agricultureȱ afterȱ wheatȱ andȱ rice.ȱ Inȱ India,ȱ foodȱ andȱ industrialȱ rawȱ materials.ȱ Maizeȱ acreageȱ
maizeȱ ranksȱ thirdȱ nextȱ toȱ riceȱ andȱ wheatȱ (Centreȱ andȱ productionȱ haveȱ anȱ increasingȱ trendȱ withȱ
forȱMonitoringȱIndianȱEconomyȱ2014).ȱMaizeȱgrainȱ introductionȱ ofȱ hybridsȱ dueȱ toȱ theirȱ highȱ yieldȱ
isȱ gainingȱ popularityȱ inȱ ourȱ countryȱ veryȱ fastȱ dueȱ potential.