The present research was carried out to estimate combining ability effects for grain yield and various components
in six elite maize inbred lines. Progeny performance showed that hybrids were 18-76 % better than inbred lines
for all the parameters. Variances due to specific combining ability were greater in magnitude and more important
for all the characters except ears per plant and kernels per ear row than the variances due to general combining
ability. This indicated that the inheritance of these parameters was under the control of non-additive and overdominant types of gene action and suggested that progeny selection might be effective for genetic improvement
of all parameters in the advanced generation except kernels per ear row. It was also suggested from the relative
general and specific combining ability performances that inbred lines (B-42 and A-556) and direct cross (OH-54-
3A×B-42) was better in grain yield per plant and might be useful if exploited in future maize breeding programs.
Muhammad Ahsan, Hammad Hussnain, Muhammad Saleem, Tanwir Ahmad Malik, Muhammad Aslam. (2007) Gene Action And Progeny Performance For Various Traits In Maize, , Volume-44, Issue-4.
