Predicting The Nature of Gene Action for Grain Yield and Its Components in Some Hybrids of Yellow Maize Grown in Different Locations

Abstract

This study was carried out at Sids Agricultural Research Station, during the 2022 growing season, fifteen new inbred lines of yellow maize were top crossed with four testers (two inbred lines and two single crosses) namely Gz.658, Sd.3118, single cross (SC.) 162 and SC.177. In the growing season 2023, the 60 top crosses and four commercial check hybrids i.e. SC.168, SC.3444, three way cross
(TWC.) 360 and TWC.368 were evaluated at three locations, i.e. Sids, Sakha and Gemmeiza Agricultural Research Stations. These results showed that, significant difference of mean squares due to genotypes, crosses and their interaction × locations for all traits under studied. Results showed that, as well as the inbred lines L2 and L3 had good general combiners for number days to 50% silking
toward earliness, L1, L14 and L15 were the best general combiners for grain yield. While, the testcross L9 × Gz.658 had a favorable and considerable SCA effects for ear length, ear diameter and 100–kernel weight traits. Sixteen testcrosses i.e. L1 × SC.162, L2 × SC.177, L3 × SC.177, L5 × Gz.658, L6 × Gz.658, L7 × SC.162, L7 × SC.177, L8 × SC.162, L8 × SC.177, L10 × Gz.658, L11 × Gz.658, L11 × Sd.3118, L12 × SC.162, L13 × Sd.3118, L14 × Sd.3118 and L15 × SC.177 exhibited positive and significant SCA effects for grain yield arddab/feddan. These results indicated that the non- additive gene effects were more important than the additive in inheritance for these traits. The magnitude of the interaction variances of K2SCA × loc. interaction was greater than those of K2 GCA × loc., indicating that the non-additive gene action interacted more with the environmental conditions than the additive components of gene action for all traits.