Vol. 11, Issue 4 (2022)

Author(s):
Guman Singh, Dhirendra Singh, Naresh Parashar, DK Gothwal and RK Solanki

Abstract:
Ten genetically diverse genotypes of wheat were evaluated for the combining ability. The significant differences were observed among the parents for all the characters except days to heading and peduncle length in both E₁ and E₂, grain filling duration and 1000 grain weight in E₂, biological yield per plant and harvest index in E₁. Likewise, generations (F₁’s and F₂’s) also showed significant differences for all the characters in both E₁ and E₂, advocated the presence of sufficient genetic variability. GCA and SCA variances were significant for all the characters in both the environments GCA for flag leaf area and peduncle length in E₂ in F₁; while SCA for days to heading and days to maturity in both F₁ and F₂ in E₂, grain filling duration in F₁ of E₁, plant height and peduncle length for both F₁ and F₂ of E₁ and 1000-grain weight in F₁ of E₁ environment, indicated the importance of both additive and non-additive gene effects in the genetic control of the characters under study. The GCA / SCA variance ratio indicated the preponderance of non-additive gene action. An overall evaluation of GCA effects and per se performance over the environments showed that Raj 4120 and Raj 3777 in E₁; Raj 3765, Raj 1482 and Raj 4120 in E₂ appeared as good general combiners for grain yield and some associated characters, while the cross Raj 1482xRaj 4120, Raj 3777xRaj 4120 and Raj 1482xRaj 4120 in E₁ and Raj 3765xRaj 3777, Raj 1482xRaj 3777 and Raj 3765xRaj 4079 in E₂ appeared as good specific cross combinations for grain yield and some associated traits.