Gene action studies of quantitative and qualitative traits in maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to determine the type of gene action, genetic parameters of yield and other quantitative traits by crossing eight diverse maize inbred lines in half diallel mating fashion. Seed of 28 F1 population along with their parents and a standard check was planted during rabi, 2019-20 in randomized complete block design and replicated thrice at the Main Maize Research Station, Anand Agricultural University, Godhra. The observations were recorded on different quantitative characters and protein content. The results revealed that mean squares due to parents and hybrids were significant for all the characters indicating that parents and hybrids differed significantly in their combining ability effects and importance of both additive as well as non-additive gene effects for their inheritance.The analysis of variance revealed significant differences among genotypes for all the characters. The estimates of components of genetic variation revealed the pre-ponderance of non-additive genetic variance for all the characters under study. The significance of both gca and sca variance indicated the involvement of both additive and non-additive gene effects for the inheritance of days to 50% tasselling, days to 50% silking, cob weight, number of kernels per row, shelling %, 100 kernels weight, kernel yield per plant and protein content. The predominance of non-additive gene action resulted in enormous heterotic response in kernel yield and its attributes including quality traits and thus heterosis breeding would be the best approach for yield improvement.