Triallel analysis for grain yield and its components over pooled environments in maize ( Zea mays L.)

Seven parents were utilized in crossing programme to produce 21 single crosses and 105 three-way crosses to study gene actions for grain yield and yield contributing characters. Triallel analysis was conducted for important yield components i.e.,ear length, ear diameter, number of kernel rows ear-1, number of kernels row-1, 100-grain weight, shelling percentage and grain yield. Significance of 1-line general line effects of both first and second kind, 2- line specific effects of first kind and second kind as well as 3-line specific effects for all the yield and yield contributing traits except number of kernels row-1 in case of 3-line specific effects suggested the major role of all three types of epistatic components viz., additive × additive, additive × dominance, dominance × dominance, in addition to the additive and dominance gene actions in the expression of these traits. For grain yield, BML-51 was a good general combiner both as grandparent and immediate parent while BML-32 and BML-14 were good general combiners as immediate parent. (BML-51 × BML-6) and (BML-32 × BML-13) had desirable 2-line effects of first and second kind. Crosses viz., (BML-14 × BML-6) × BML-51, (BML-32 × BML-6) × BML-51and (BML-51 × BML-10) × BML-6 were the best performing triplets with desirable 1-line general and 2-line specific effects. Parent order effects i.e. the order of lines utilized in three-way crosses were clearly elucidated, the order of in which crosses will be effected for obtaining superior hybrids with high grain yield.