Abstrakt: |
Eight opaque‐2 lines of maize (Zea maysL.) were crossed in a diallel series and from opaque and normal pollinations, two phenotypes viz., opaque (o2o2o2) and normal (+o2o2), were compared and combining ability analysis was made. The opaque phenotypes were 11% lower in both 100‐kernel weight and yield of grain than their normal counterparts. Kernel number per ear was the same in both the opaque and normal. Opaque phenotypes had 11.4% protein as against 10.63% for the normal. Protein yield was 4% lower in opaque than the normal. In the opaque phenotypes, lysine as percent of protein was 4.70% and lysine as percent of sample 0.536. Correlation coefficients of protein and lysine percent with yield of grain were very low and not significant. Additive gene action was more important than nonadditive for kernel weight, kernel number, yield of grain, lysine as percent of sample, and lysine yield, while both additive and nonadditive gene action were important for protein percent and protein yield. Mass selection or recurrent selection for general combining ability is proposed to develop opaque‐2 lines of high productivity. |