HETEROSIS FOR GRAIN YIELD AND ITS COMPONENT TRAITS IN SINGLE CROSS HYBRIDS OF MAIZE ( ZEA MAYS L.)

The study was undertaken to estimate heterosis for yield and yield related traits in maize. Twenty four crosses were generated by crossing eight lines and three testers using line × tester mating design. A total of thirty five treatments comprising eleven parents and their twenty four crosses were evaluated in a complete randomized block design with two replications. Heterosis was obtained for most of the traits under study. All the cross combinations except KDM-2111 × C-4 revealed significant and positive heterosis for grain yield plant -1 . The maximum significant positive mid parent and better parent heterosis was estimated for KDM-2113 × KDM-914A followed by KDM-2113 × KDM-343A and KDM-2122 × KDM-343A. These crosses also elucidated desired and significant heterosis for shelling percentage, 100 grain weight, grain depth, kernels row -1 and kernel rows cob -1 . Thus, these crosses in future could be exploited commercially for higher yield in maize.