Combining ability studies among the inbred lines of sweet corn (Zea mays L. saccharata)

Abstract

Several hybrids of sweet corn have been released world over mainly by incorporating sugary1 (su) and shrunken2 (sh2) mutants in the genetic background of elite genotypes. The present study is an attempt to develope suitable single cross hybrids and identification of potential inbreds in sweet corn. Six sweet corn inbreds, three each of sugary (Pl' P2 and Ps) and shrunken2 (P4' Ps and Ps) types derived from different source populations were crossed in half diallel mating design. Twenty-three entries (six parental lines, fifteen crosses and two checks, Madhuri and Priya) were evaluated in kharif (2004) and rabi (2004-2005) seasons at IARI, New Delhi in three replications using RBD. Each experimental plot consisted of two rows of 5-m length with 75 x 25 cm spacing. All characters including ear attributes, maturity parameters and yield and yield components were recorded as per standard procedure. Field emergence (%) was recorded 30 days after seedling germination on plot basis and transformed values (using arc sine transformation) were used for data analysis. Combining ability analysis was done according to Griffing's [1] method 2 and model I.