Gene action for grain yield and its attributes in maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

The aim of a pant breeder is to identify parents that will combine well and produce productive progenies. Since the quantitative characters are considerably influenced by the environment, a multi-environmental study is likely to bring out genotype-environment interaction for estimating the gene effects precisely and predicting the advance under selection. General combining ability is a good estimate of additive gene action, whereas specific combining ability is a measure of non-additive gene action [1, 2]. The present study has been carried out over three locations (environments) to know the type of gene action governing grain yield and its component traits and to identify parents and crosses which could be exploited in future breeding programme.