Heterosis and Combining ability Studies for Sugar content in Sweet corn (Zea mays saccharata L.)

The present investigation has been undertaken in sweet corn to carry out the combining ability analysis and to estimate heterosis of yield and yield contributing characters. Eight divergent parents were selected and crossed in diallel fashion excluding reciprocals during kharif, 2010. The resulting 28 crosses along with parents and a standard check Sugar 75 and Madhuri were evaluated in Randomized Block Design replicated thrice, during rabi, 2010-11 at Agricultural Research Institute, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad. The data were collected on various agronomic characters in which emphasis was given to sugar content in the kernel in percentage. The combining ability analysis revealed importance of both additive and non-additive gene actions in governing the characters but non-additive gene action was found predominant. The parental lines 6072-3 and 6069 were contributed maximum favourable genes for character under study and can be given status of good combiners. The hybrids, 6072-3 x 6100-2, 6072-3 x 6069, 6104 x 6082 and 6127 x 6100 were the good specific combiners for sugar content in the kernel. Estimates of heterosis, heterobeltiosis and standard heterosis were variable among crosses in desirable direction and some of them turned out to be best specific crosses. The hybrids 6072-3 x 6069, 6072-3 x 6100-2, 6069 x 6122-1, 6122-1 x 6127, 6072-3 x 6127 and 6104 x 6082 performed well over standard Madhuri for sugar content in kernel. The identified four superior cross combinations (6072-3 x 6100-2, 6072-3 x 6069 and 6104 x 6082) in the present investigation, based on heterosis and combining ability, which performed well for sugar content in the kernel may be used as single cross hybrids after evaluation in multi-location trials.