| The best general combining for days to earing was ML-412 followed by ML-326.
ML-323 was the significantly poor general combiner for this character. For
plant height the best general combining ability was exhibited by ML-328.
This along with ML-323 and ML-412 were significantly better combiners. On
the other hand ML-329 was the poorest combiner. For tiller number the differences
were highly marked. ML-328 and ML-419 represented the best and the poorest
combiners with other being intermediate. As for tiller number, the differences
for seed size were also pronounced. ML-270 and ML-412 were better whereas
ML-328 was the poorest combiner. For grain yield ML-412 and ML-419 were
the significantly better combiners whereas ML-246 and ML-267 were the significantly
poor combiners. Other parents were intermediate. Parent-wise it may be concluded
that ML-412 is a better general combiner especially for heading date, plant
height, ear length, seed size and grain yield. So this parent may be used
in multilines more frequently. The only negative point in respect of this
parent is the gca estimate for tiller number. ML-328 has shown a behaviour
exactly opposite to that of ML-412. This is the poorest combiner for all
the characters except for tiller number. It has been noted from the sca effects that there are no mixtures where all the characters are exhibited in the most desirable proportions. The estimation of specific combining ability effect may be more useful when F1 is a normal cross between the two parents and the breeder is interested in the succeeding generations obtained through selfing or intermating. In case of studies like the present one the per se performance of the mixtures may be more meaningful rather than the specific combining ability effects. There have been no studies already reported in literature on the lines of the present one. It has, therefore, not been possible to compare the present one with the previous one(s). References BORLAUG, N.E. (1959). Proc. First Int. Wheat Genet. Symp. Winnipeg, pp. 12-26. GRIFFING, B. (1956). Austr. J. Biol. Sci. 9: 463-493. HARPER, J.L. (1964). Proc. XI Int. Genet. Cong, pp. 465-481. JAIN, K.B.L. and MOSHA, A.S. (1974). Indian J. Genet. 34: 1168-1181. JENSEN, N.F. and FEDERER, W.T. (1965). Wheat. Crop Sci. 5: 449-452. (Editorial Remarks: The present paper by K.S. Gill, G.S. Nanda & G. Singh was supposed to reach to the editorial office of WIS in January, 1979, but by unknown reason, the manuscript was lost during mailing. The editor asked the authors to resend it, and it is printed in WIS No. 52. The Editor) |
| <-- Back |