Combining ability analysis for evaluation of maize hybrids under drought stress

Abstract

The present study was conducted to evaluate the genetic basis of yield related traits under drought conditions. A high heritability and genetic advance was found for plant height, 100-grain weight, grain rows per cob and grain yield per plant, suggesting that the selection of high yielding maize genotypes is possible through this approach. The high specific combining ability of W64SP, A495, A509 and A50-2 suggested that the pre-screening of inbred lines may be an efficient approach to develop higher yielding maize hybrids through heterosis breeding under drought.