Abstract

GUZMAN, Manuel et al. Estimation of combining ability and heterosis in non-conventional maize hibrids with high quality protein. Bioagro [online]. 2017, vol.29, n.3, pp.175-184. ISSN 1316-3361.

With the objective of estimating the general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) effects and heterosis level, six non-conventional maize hybrids with high quality of protein (QPM), their inbred parents and two local checks were evaluated for grain yield and other agronomic traits at Maracay, Venezuela. The Griffing design, method I model II, was used to estimate GCA and SCA effects, on a complete randomized block design with three replications. The diallel analysis showed significant differences (P≤0.05) among genotypes for yield, days to anthesis, days to silking, uncovered maize ears and maize ear rot. Yield for non-conventional maize QPM hybrids was 6,709.5 kg·ha^-1, 15 % higher than their inbred parents (5,810 kg·ha^-1). S07TLYAB-2 showed the highest GCA for yield, uncovered maize ears and maize ear rot, and the crosses S07TLYAB-1/S07TLYAB-2 (7,630.9 kg·ha^-1), S07TLYAB-2/S03TLYQAB-05 (7,605.3 kg·ha^-1) and S07TLYAB-2/S03TLYQAB-03 (6,693.6 kg·ha^-1) showed the highest SCA effects. The first two showed the highest mid-parent heterosis (≥23 %) and best parent heterosis (≥15 %) for yield. These results indicate that it is possible to develop a hybridization program using the best inbred parents to generate non-conventional hybrids, populations and segregating inbred lines with high quality protein.

Keywords : Combining ability; QPM; Zea mays.

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