LINE x TESTER ANALYSIS FOR COMBINING ABILITY AND STANDARD HETEROSIS IN MID-ALTITUDE MAIZE (Zea mays L.) FOR GRAIN YIELD AND YIELD RELATED TRAITS AT HARO SABU, WESTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract:

The study was conducted at Haro Sabu Agricultural Research Centre (HSARC) during the 2015 main cropping season. The objectives of the study were to estimate combining ability and to identify direction and magnitude of standard heterosis in mid-altitude maize test crosses for grain yield and yield related traits. Eighteen inbred lines and four single cross testers were crossed in line x tester mating design during the 2014 main cropping season at Bako National Maize Research Center (BNMRC). The resulting 72 F1 crosses plus three standard checks (BH543, BH546 and BH547) were studied at HSARC condition. Data were collected on seventeen traits and analysis of variance was done accordingly. The mean square indicated highly significant (p