African Journal of Agriculture

African Journal of Agriculture ISSN 2375-1134 Vol. 6 (12), pp. 001-011, December, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Gene action of some agronomic traits in corn (Zea mays L.) using diallel cross analysis

Mahdi Zare¹*, Rajab Choukan², Eslam Majidi Heravan³, Mohammad Reza Bihamta⁴ and Kourosh Ordookhani

¹Islamic Azad University, Firoozabad Branch, Iran.

²Agricultural Research Seed and Plant Improvement Institute, Karaj, Iran.

³Agriculture Biotechnology Research Institute, Karaj, Iran.

⁴Agriculture College, Tehran University, Karaj, Iran.

⁵Islamic Azad University, Firoozabad Branch, Iran.

Accepted 03 September, 2019

Abstract

In 2007, seven inbred lines of corn were crossed in a complete diallel cross design (Griffing's method 1). The seven parents and their 42 hybrids were planted in field based on Random Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications in two different environments. The studied traits were days from emergence to silking, days from emergence to physiological maturity, plant height, ear height, area of ear leaf, ear length, area of flag leaf, number of rows per ear, number of kernels per row and grain yield. Results of combined ANOVA revealed that environment effect was significant for all the traits. Based on diallel cross analysis according to Griffing method 1, General Combining Ability (GCA) and Specific Combining Ability (SCA) effects were significant for the majority of traits. Reciprocal variance effects were significant for days from emergence to physiological maturity and number of rows per ear that indicate presence of cytoplasmic inheritance. ²_GCA/ ²_SCA ratio revealed that additive gene effects were predominant in controlling the majority of traits. Based on high-parent heterosis, general and specific combining abilities of parents and hybrids, K1264.1 inbred line for production of early maturity, increasing number of rows per ear and grain yield, K18 inbred line for increasing number of kernels per row and K3653.5 inbred line for increasing area of flag leaf and number of rows per ear were suitable resources. K3218 × K3653.5 and MO17 × K3653.5 also proved to be the best crosses to increase grain yield.