Combining ability analysis of some yield and quality traits in durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.)

Abstract

A study was conducted for the analysis of combining ability of some yield and quality taits in a set of 10 durum wheat genotypesfollowing a diallel mating design excluding reciprocals. The analysis of variance for combining ability revealed that mean square values due to parents and hybrids were significant for the traits days to 50% heading, days to maturity, plant height, number of effective tillers per plant, length of main spike, peduncle length, number of spikelets per main spike, grain yield per main spike, grain yield per plant, test weight, biological yield per plant, harvest index, specific sedimentation volume, protein content, sedimentation value and β carotene which revealed that existence of differences among the parents and hybrids. Significance of both 2GCA and 2SCA for the characters days to 50% heading, days to maturity, length of main spike and number of spikelets per main spike suggested that importance of both additive and non-additive gene effects for the inheritance of these characters. The value of average degree of dominance was close to one for days to maturity and length of main spike which revealed complete dominance behaviour of interacting alleles for these characters. The parents GDW 1255, GW 2007-112 and GW 1 were good combiners for multiple traits viz., days to 50% heading, days to maturity, length of main spike, number of spikelets per main spike, number of grains per main spike and spike density in F1 generation. The crosses (give best crosses for grain yield) GW 2002-51 x GW 1 and GW 2007-77 x GW 1277 was good specific combiners for multiple traits along with grain yield in F1 generation and these crosses may be utilized in the development of high yielding progenies in durum wheat.

Keywords

• half-diallel
• gca
• sca
• and durum wheat