International Journal of Plant Breeding and Crop Science

Vol. 7(2), pp. 789-796, September, 2020. © www.premierpublishers.org, ISSN: 2167-0449

Research Article

Combining Ability and Heterosis for Grain Yield and

Other Agronomic Traits in an 8x8 Diallel Cross of Field,
Pop and Sweet Corn
G.O.S. Ojo1*, A. E. Ochigbo2, C. A. Simon3
1Department of Crop Production, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B. 2373. Makurdi, Nigeria
2,3Department of Plant Breeding and Seed Science, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B. 2373. Makurdi, Nigeria

A varietal diallel of eight parents (3 sweet corn, 1 popcorn and 4 field corn) was evaluated at the
Teaching and Research Farms of College of Agriculture, Lafia and Federal University of
Agriculture, Makurdi respectively, to estimate combining ability, heterosis and gene action. The
experiments were laid out as 8x8 α-lattice design with three replications in both locations during
the 2018 rain-fed cropping season. Data was collected on emergence count, chlorophyll content,
days to tasselling, days to silking, plant height, ear height and grain yield. A significant difference
(p≤ 0.05 and p≤ 0.01) in the General Combining Ability (GCA), Specific Combining Ability (SCA)
and Reciprocals was observed, with apparent additivity for all the traits. Both negative and
positive GCA, SCA and Reciprocal effects and heterosis were observed for all the traits studied.
Recurrent selection in TZY-sh2-Y, MAW-sh2-W, SAMMAZ 39, TZEE 2009 and MAY-PC-Y for
earliness, dwarfism, vigour and yield was recommended for further breeding towards the
improvement of these genotypes in the Southern Guinea Savanna ecology of Nigeria.

Key Words: Combining ability, diallel, GCA, SCA, heterosis

INTRODUCTION

Maize (corn) is a very important cereal and the third most
important world crop in production (Keskin et al., 2005;
Wattoo et al., 2009; Begum et al., 2018) due to its diversity
in utility (Chen et al., 2012; Kage et al., 2013; Werle, 2014).
Globally, hybrid maize, mainly single cross hybrids, are
outstanding in grain yield compared to the open-pollinated
varieties (OPVs), including populations and synthetic
varieties. In Nigeria, the Guinea Savanna is the most
suitable ecology for the production of maize (Kling et al.,
1997; Ajala et al., 2007) and the grain yield of ≥ 9 tha-1 from
single cross hybrids in previous studies (Kim and Ajala,
1996) attest to this. This suitability of the location for maize
growth and production has been attributed to high
sunshine and low night temperatures within the ecology
(Umar et al., 2016). Unfortunately, studies on the yield of
hybrids from crosses involving inbred lines in parts of the
ecology, precisely Southern Guinea Savanna, has not
been encouraging, with grain yields of open-pollinated
varieties comparing favorably with that of single-cross
hybrids in previous studies (Ojo et al., 2007; Ojo and
Odoba, 2016). This low yield of hybrids could be attributed
to poor adaptation due to low fertility of the soil in the
Southern Guinea Savanna (Olasoji et al., 2017) and
differences between the test environment and the
production environment (Oluwaranti et al., 2015; Ojo et al.,
2020). The test environment for most of the maize varieties
produced in the Savanna ecology of Nigeria is in the
Northern Guinea Savanna, where the climatic and soil
characteristics are completely different from that of the
Southern Guinea Savanna. There is, therefore, the need
to identify and select suitable genotypes that will form a
gene pool for future breeding programmes within the
Southern Guinea Savanna ecology of Nigeria. The first
step in achieving this task is to identify diverse broad
genetic base open-pollinated varieties (OPV) and study
them in cross combinations. The utility of parents in hybrid
combinations, which is the basis of heterosis (Kumar et al.,
2013), is best estimated in diallel analysis (Ojo et al.,
*Corresponding Author: G.O.S. Ojo; Department of Crop
Production, Federal University of Agriculture, P. M. B.
2373, Makurdi, Nigeria. Email: gosojo2016@gmail.com
*Co-Author 2Email: ochigboene2016@gmail.com
3
Email: simonchrizz94@gmail.com

Combining Ability and Heterosis for Grain Yield and Other Agronomic Traits in an 8x8 Diallel Cross of Field, Pop and Sweet Corn
Ojo et al. 790
2007). The diallel analysis is used to estimate combining
ability, heterosis and gene action that will guide the
breeder in the breeding strategy to adopt. There is
however dearth of information on the performance of
varietal hybrids developed from broad genetic base open-
pollinated varieties (OPV) in the Southern Guinea
Savanna ecology of Nigeria. This research was therefore
initiated to estimate combining ability, heterosis and gene
action in an 8x8 diallel cross of three endosperm types of
open-pollinated varieties of corn.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Location
The development of breeding materials for evaluation was
carried out at the Teaching and Research Farms, Federal
University of Agriculture, Makurdi. The field evaluations
were carried out in two locations, namely; Research and
Teaching Farm, College of Agriculture, Lafia and Teaching
and Research Farms, Federal University of Agriculture,
Makurdi, respectively. Both locations are within the
southern Guinea Savanna ecology of Nigeria.
Breeding materials
A total of eight genetically diverse genotypes of corn
comprising of three tropically adapted shrunken-2(sh2)
populations of sweet corn (SC), one population of popcorn
(PC) and four commercial varieties of field corn (FC) were
used as parents in the diallel experiment (Table 1). All the
parents except parents 6 and 8, were obtained from the
International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA),
Ibadan, Nigeria. Parents 6 and 8 were obtained from the
Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR) at Ahmadu Bello
University (ABU), Zaria, Nigeria. The three sweet corn
genotypes are base populations for tropical sweet corn
improvement in Nigeria, while the popcorn genotype is an
improved tropical population. Parent 5, MASYN-VAR 3 F2
is a high yielding synthetic variety developed for
production in mid-altitude savanna ecology of Nigeria and
was formally released in 2018 with the official name of
AMANA – 2. Parent 6, SAMMAZ 39 (PVA SYN8) has a
high yield potential with an intermediate level of pro-
vitamin A Content. Parent 7, TZEE 2009, is an extra early
high yielding variety, while Parent 8, SAMMAZ 14
(OBATAMPA – old name) is a medium maturing, Striga
tolerant, Quality Protein Maize (QPM) variety that was
formally released for production in 2013. The 8 parents
were crossed in all possible combinations (including
reciprocal crosses) to generate F1s and their reciprocals
while the parents were sib mated during the rain-fed
cropping season of 2017. Ears from the pollinated plants
were harvested according to genotypes, shelled, dried and
stored for evaluation in 2018.
Combining Ability and Heterosis for Grain Yield and Other Agronomic Traits in an 8x8 Diallel Cross of Field, Pop and Sweet Corn
Experimental layout and agronomic practices
The experiments were laid out as 8x8 α-lattice design with
three replications in both locations (Lafia and Makurdi)
during the 2018 rain-fed cropping season. Two seeds of
each of the 8 parents, the 28 F1s and the 28 reciprocals,
were planted and later thinned down to one stand/hill after
emergence. Plants were maintained on single rows at an
intra and inter row spacing of 25cm and 75cm, respectively
(53,333.33 stands/ha). A split application of mineral
fertilizer was adopted to provide a total quantity of 120kgN,
60kg P2O5 and 60kg K2Oha-1 using NPK 20-10-10, while
manual hoe weeding was carried out twice. Mature, dry
ears were harvested from each plot, dehusked, shelled
and the seeds sun-dried to a constant weight.
Data collection and Data analysis
Data was collected on emergence count, chlorophyll
content (µmol.m-2), days to tasselling, days to silking, plant
height (cm), ear height (cm) and grain yield (tha-1).
Data collected from the two locations were combined and
subjected to Analysis of Variance before Combining Ability
Analysis. The combining ability analysis was according to
model 1, method 1 (parents, F1 and reciprocals) of Griffing
(1956), while the High Parent Heterosis (HPH) was
according to Hallaeur and Miranda (1988).
RESULTS
Combining ability analysis of variance
Mean squares of combining ability analysis of variance for
grain yield and other agronomic traits are presented in
Table 2. Genotypes were highly significantly different (p≤
0.01) for all the traits, namely, emergence count,
chlorophyll content, days to tasselling, days to silking,
plant height, ear height and grain yield. Similarly, a highly
significant difference (p≤ 0.01) in GCA was observed for
all the traits except for ear height, which recorded a
significant difference (p≤ 0.05) in the GCA. Both the SCA
and their respective Reciprocals were highly significantly
different (p≤ 0.01) for all the traits. More additive than non-
additive gene action was observed for all the traits with
days to silking and grain yield recording the highest
additive – dominance ratio (δ2A: δ2D) of 3.4 and 2.5,
respectively.
GCA Effect
Parents 8, 6, 1 and 7 recorded the highest GCA effects
(Table 3). Parent 8 was significantly different from all the
parents with negative GCA effects (2, 3, 4 and 5) for
emergence count. Similarly, parent 6 was significantly

different from parent 3, while parent 1 was significantly
different from parent 3. Parent 5 was significantly different
from parents 3 and 4 for chlorophyll content. Parent 5 was
only significantly different from parent 1 for days to
tasselling while all the parents were the same for days to
silking. In terms of plant height, parent 2 was significantly
different from all the other parents except parent 1, while
parent 1 was significantly different from parents 4 and 8. A
significant difference in ear height was only observed
between parent 3 and parents with negative GCA effects.
Parent 6 was significantly different from parents 1, 2, 5 and
8 with negative values while parents 4 and 7 were
significantly different from parents 1 and 2 for grain yield.
SCA Effects
SCA effects for emergence count, chlorophyll content,
days to tasselling, days to silking, plant height, ear height
and grain yield are presented in Table 4, with all the traits
recording both negative and positive SCA effects.
Significant (p≤ 0.05 and p≤ 0.01) SCA effects were
observed in a few crosses for all the traits. Positive and
significant (p≤ 0.05 and p≤ 0.01) SCA effects were
observed for grain yield in 1x4 (SC x PC) and 4x7 (SC x
FC), while a negatively significant SCA effects were
observed for hybrids 1x7 (SC x FC) and 3x4 (SC x PC).
Reciprocals
Reciprocal effects for all the traits studied are presented in
Table 5, with all the traits recording both negative and
positive reciprocal effects. A highly significant positive
reciprocal effect was observed in 7x1(FC x SC), while the
highly significant negative effect in 3x2 (SC x SC), 8x4 (FC
x PC) and 7x6 (FC x FC) was observed for emergence
count (Table 5). Highly significant negative and positive
effects were observed for chlorophyll content in 4x1 (PC x
SC) and 3x2 (SC x SC), respectively. Similarly, significant
negative and positive effects were observed for grain yield
in 2x1 (SC x SC) and 5x1 (FC x SC), respectively.
High Parent Heterosis
High Parent Heterosis (HPH) for all the traits studied are
summarized in Table 6. The HPH for emergence count
was negative in almost all the hybrids except 1x7 (SC x
FC), 6x7 (FC x FC), 8x1 (FC x SC), 3x2 (SC x SC), 5x4
(FC x PC) and 8x4 (FC x PC). Similarly, only six hybrids
were positive for chlorophyll content namely; 1x2 (SC x
SC), 4x6 (PC x FC), 4x7 (PC x FC), 4x1 (PC x SC), 6x3
(FC x SC) and 7x4 (FC x PC). More negative than positive
HPH was observed for days to tasselling and silking, plant
and ear heights. Hybrids with HPH of ≥10% for grain yield
were >40%. The mean grain yield of parents ranged from
1.48 – 2.35tha-1, while that of the hybrids ranged from 1.00
– 2.76 tha-1 (Table 7).
Combining Ability and Heterosis for Grain Yield and Other Agronomic Traits in an 8x8 Diallel Cross of Field, Pop and Sweet Corn
Int. J. Plant Breed Crop Sci 791
DISCUSSION
The significant (p≤ 0.05 and p≤ 0.01) GCA and SCA
variance observed for all the traits, is an indication of the
importance of both additive and non – additive gene action
in the control of the traits studied. However, the higher
value recorded for the additive component is an indication
of the preponderance of the additive compared to non –
additive gene action. The preponderance of additivity
compared to non – additivity observed in the current study
is not unexpected in varietal crosses because the degree
of selection in the population studied is low compared to a
highly selected population of inbred lines. It is also a
favourable development that is consistent with previous
findings (Kage et al., 2013; Begum et al., 2018). Hence,
the need for the preference of the GCA effect over the SCA
effect in the selection of genotypes for improvement in the
studied population. The highly significant reciprocal effect
observed in the combining ability analysis for all the traits
studied is an indication that the choice of parents
concerning sex is of important consideration in the
development of hybrids.
The negative and positive heterosis recorded in this study
has been previously observed (Ojo et al., 2007; Begum et
al., 2017; Yuwono et al., 2017; Ibrahim et al., 2018), and
could be attributed to genetic diversity in the breeding
materials used as parents in the current diallel experiment
of field, pop and sweet corn. The characters of dwarfism
and earliness as expressed in negative heterosis for
flowering and height in the current study have been
observed in previous findings (Abdulmalik et al., 2016;
Yuwono et al., 2017; Begum et al., 2018), and Yuwono et
al. (2017) had alluded to them as the striving desires of a
breeder in hybrids. The grain yield range of 1.00 – 2.76tha-
1 observed for the OPV parents and their varietal hybrids
in the current study is consistent with the results of
Abdulmalik et al. (2016) for varietal hybrids in the Northern
Guinea Savanna and Olakojo (2016) for OPVs in the
Southern Guinea Savanna ecology of Nigeria. The highest
grain yield of 2.76tha-1 in the current study is however far
below the upper limits (Ojo et al., 2007; Umar et al., 2016)
and lower limits (Kim and Ajala, 1996; Begum et al., 2018)
observed in single cross hybrids for the Guinea Savanna
of Nigeria and elsewhere in previous studies. It is also
below the grain yield recorded in varietal hybrids and their
parents across four ecologies of Nigeria in previous
studies (Kim and Ajala, 1996). The grain yield of 1.79 tha -
1 observed for parent 8 (SAMMAZ 14) in the current
research and >3.00 tha-1 for Oba 98 previously (Ojo and
Odoba, 2016) is also contradicted by the low yield of these
genotypes in the Northern Guinea Savanna in previous
studies (Abdulmalik et al., 2016), thus strengthening the
objective for which the current research was initiated. The
least (negative) GCA effects with mostly negative
heterosis and SCA effects in crosses observed for
Ojo et al. 792
flowering and height in Parents 1 (TZY-sh2-Y) and 2
(MAW-sh2-W), both sweet corn, qualifies them as possible
candidates in selection for earliness and dwarfism. Parent
6 (SAMMAZ 39), field corn, recorded the highest (positive)
GCA effect and F1 array mean, the 2nd highest (positive)
GCA effect and parental mean with positive heterosis and
SCA/reciprocal effects in crosses for grain yield. Parent 6
also recorded the 2nd highest (positive) GCA effect with
positive heterosis and SCA/reciprocal effects in crosses
for emergence count and chlorophyll content and should
be selected for vigour and yield. Parent 7 (TZEE 2009),
extra early field corn, was among the three least general
combiners (negative) for days to silking and ear height, 2nd
highest (positive) general combiner with positive heterosis
and SCA/reciprocal effects in some crosses for grain yield.
Parent 7 also recorded the highest grain yield in a
reciprocal cross and, therefore, a candidate genotype in
selection for dwarfism, earliness and grain yield. The third
highest GCA effect, coupled with significant (positive) SCA
effect and the highest parental/array (reciprocal) mean,
observed for Parent 4 (MAY-PC-Y), the only popcorn,
makes it an excellent genotype for subsequent selection in
breeding for grain yield.
The preponderance of additive genes in the studied OPVs
makes them amenable to intrapopulation improvement.
The current study has also identified complimentary
genotypes for the exploitation of hybrid vigour following the
extraction of inbred lines.
Recurrent selection for earliness, dwarfism, vigour and
yield in TZY-sh2-Y, MAW-sh2-W, SAMMAZ 39, TZEE
2009 and MAY-PC-Y will enhance the improvement of
these genotypes towards the extraction of adapted inbred
lines for the development of hybrids for the Southern
Guinea Savanna ecology of Nigeria.
CONCLUSION
The current study has established that there is a
preponderance of additive gene action in the varieties
studied in a diallel and that selection for further breeding
for earliness, dwarfism, vigour and yield will enhance
improvement in the genotypes towards the development of
new genotypes.
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APPENDIX

Table 1: Code, Type, Colour and Source of Corn Genotypes (Parents) Used in The Experiment
Parents Code Type Colour Source
1 TZY-sh2-Y Sweet corn population Yellow IITA
2 MAW-sh2-W Sweet corn population White IITA
3 MAY-sh2-Y Sweet corn population Yellow IITA
4 MAY-PC-Y Popcorn population Yellow IITA
5 MASYN-3 Synthetic field corn White IITA
6 SAMMAZ 39 Provit. A synthetic field corn Yellow IITA
7 TZEE 2009 Extra early field corn Yellow IITA
8 SAMMAZ 14 QPM field corn White IAR

Table 2: Mean Squares of Combining Ability Analysis for Grain Yield and Other Agronomic Traits in an 8x8 Diallel
Cross of Field, Pop and Sweet Corn
Emergence Chlorophyll Days to Days Plant Grain
Source DF Ear height
count content tasselling silking height yield
Genotype 63 0.51** 59.71** 6.89** 7.21** 682.98** 174.67** 0.82**
GCA 7 0.44** 52.01** 10.13** 13.23** 510.84** 111.32* 1.06**
SCA 28 0.53** 67.19** 8.60** 7.87** 736.88** 162.30** 0.86**
REC 28 0.51** 54.15** 4.38** 5.04** 672.12** 202.88** 0.72**
Error 252 0.06 10.67 1.7 1.92 121.73 44.83 0.19
δ2A:δ2D 1.7 1.5 2.4 3.4 1.4 1.4 2.5

Table 3: GCA Effects for Grain Yield and Other Agronomic Traits in an 8x8 Diallel Cross of Field, Pop and Sweet
Corn
Emergence Chlorophyll Days to Days Plant Grain
Parent Ear height
count content tasselling silking height yield
1 0.04 -0.19 -0.51 -0.52 1.68 -1.20 -0.08
2 -0.03 0.27 -0.37 -0.26 4.26 0.14 -0.19*
3 -0.10 -0.86 -0.06 0.10 -0.51 1.93 0.02
4 -0.06 -0.34 -0.04 -0.03 -2.70 0.20 0.07
5 -0.05 1.56* 0.39 0.65 0.74 0.64 -0.03
6 0.07 0.28 -0.02 0.22 0.29 0.42 0.14
7 0.03 -0.53 0.29 -0.33 -1.19 -1.19 0.09
8 0.10 -0.19 0.32 0.17 -2.58 -0.94 -0.04
SE(gi) 0.05 0.85 0.34 0.85 1.31 1.17 0.06
LSD.05 0.11 2.01 0.81 1.74 3.10 2.76 0.14
LSD.01 0.16 2.98 1.20 2.35 4.58 4.08 0.21

Combining Ability and Heterosis for Grain Yield and Other Agronomic Traits in an 8x8 Diallel Cross of Field, Pop and Sweet Corn
Ojo et al. 794

Table 4: SCA Effects for Grain Yield and Other Agronomic Traits in an 8x8 Diallel Cross of Field, Pop and Sweet
Corn
Emergence Chlorophyll Days to Days Plant Ear Grain
Cross
count content tasselling silking height height yield
1X2 -0.03 2.10 -0.97 -0.52 0.79 -0.86 0.33
1X3 -0.12 0.63 0.38 0.62 3.31 -1.32 0.32
1X4 0.01 -2.21 -0.14 -0.16 11.91 3.05 0.51*
1X5 -0.01 1.44 0.27 0.32 -4.23 -3.25 -0.24
1X6 -0.29* -2.34 0.26 -0.16 7.70 -0.13 -0.06
1X7 0.09 -1.73 -0.14 0.21 1.43 -0.05 -0.65**
1X8 0.35 1.75 0.34 -0.61 6.31 -8.80 0.08
2X3 0.11 -3.17 1.08 0.44 3.46 0.97 0.04
2X4 -0.02 1.51 -0.11 -0.26 1.40 -0.26 -0.33
2X5 -0.03 -2.27 0.30 -0.11 -9.00 -4.87 -0.15
2X6 -0.31* -0.62 0.12 -0.34 6.37 -0.34 -0.09
2X7 -0.18 -1.06 0.23 1.53* 6.52 -0.64 0.23
2X8 -0.46 -2.65 -1.10 0.31 4.62 7.09 0.07
3X4 -0.28* 2.37 0.33 -0.37 -8.96 -6.03 -0.54*
3X5 -0.04 -3.42* 0.15 0.61 16.29* 2.14 0.26
3X6 0.02 2.68 -0.61 -0.71 -0.86 1.19 0.23
3X7 0.06 -2.26 0.25 -0.25 -3.55 3.15 -0.16
3X8 -0.28 -5.26 1.54 0.18 13.92 12.26 -0.21
4X5 0.17 -2.51 0.55 0.41 6.15 2.95 0.14
4X6 -0.03 1.07 -0.21 -0.07 -4.43 -4.28 0.03
4X7 -0.15 4.00* -2.02 -1.28 -3.04 1.15 0.44*
4X8 -0.41 2.51 -1.52 -2.29 -3.39 0.89 0.18
5X6 -0.04 1.34 -1.39 -1.42 -4.16 3.49 0.08
5X7 -0.24 0.01 -0.78 -0.13 1.83 1.75 0.01
5X8 -0.41 -6.24* 1.16 1.40 11.27 -1.15 0.30
6X7 0.22 -0.20 0.71 1.22 5.41 -0.36 -0.23
6X8 -0.45 -4.25 0.75 2.13 23.29 8.86 0.13
7X8 -0.82** -2.93 -3.35 -1.17 1.08 -5.40 -0.17
SE(Sij) 0.16 2.03 0.71 0.71 5.87 3.30 0.24
LSD.05 0.34 4.17 1.46 1.46 12.02 6.75 0.48
LSD.01 0.45 5.62 1.97 1.97 16.21 9.11 0.65

Table 5: Reciprocal Effects for Grain Yield and Other Agronomic Traits in an 8x8 Diallel Cross of Field, Pop and
Sweet Corn
Emergence Chlorophyll Days to Days to Plant Ear Grain
Cross
count content tasselling silking height height yield
2X1 0.08 2.43 -0.17 0.42 -7.57 0.03 -0.53*
3X1 0.08 -0.58 0.17 0.58 -4.33 -5.57 -0.04
4X1 -0.08 -5.94** 0.00 0.17 -7.23 -4.95 0.04
5X1 0.08 -0.18 0.50 0.17 9.00 4.95 0.56*
6X1 -0.08 3.68 -0.58 -0.75 5.98 -2.52 -0.41
7X1 0.58** 1.29 0.17 0.08 -4.64 8.06 0.09
8X1 -0.25 -0.53 -0.67 0.75 3.40 -0.55 0.23
3X2 -0.42** 4.84* -0.17 -0.50 -3.83 -4.58 -0.19
4X2 0.00 0.56 0.67 0.83 -13.77 -4.83 -0.10
5X2 0.00 -1.93 0.67 0.50 -0.69 6.18 0.26
6X2 -0.17 -1.48 0.25 0.67 -9.78 2.10 0.16
7X2 0.08 2.82 0.17 -0.17 -5.88 -4.09 -0.32
8X2 0.00 0.78 1.08 1.42 -1.82 -5.94 0.00
4X3 -0.17 -1.31 1.42 0.25 -6.30 -3.93 0.06
5X3 -0.08 3.70 -1.00 -0.92 -23.2** -5.04 -0.03
6X3 -0.08 -0.82 0.33 0.00 -0.10 -0.36 -0.29

Combining Ability and Heterosis for Grain Yield and Other Agronomic Traits in an 8x8 Diallel Cross of Field, Pop and Sweet Corn
 Int. J. Plant Breed Crop Sci 795

Table 5 continued: Reciprocal Effects for Grain Yield and Other Agronomic Traits in an 8x8 Diallel Cross of Field,
Pop and Sweet Corn
Emergence Chlorophyll Days to Days to Plant Ear Grain
Cross
count content tasselling silking height height yield
7X3 -0.25 -0.48 -0.50 0.42 -0.56 -0.24 0.30
8X3 0.08 0.35 -0.08 -0.08 12.52 9.30 0.19
5X4 -0.17 1.03 0.75 0.75 -3.18 3.63 -0.35
6X4 0.08 1.35 -0.08 0.00 -0.66 -2.75 0.13
7X4 -0.08 0.96 1.25 1.42 0.72 0.54 -0.25
8X4 -0.42** -0.71 -0.17 -0.25 6.40 1.37 -0.14
6X5 0.08 1.50 0.50 0.67 -3.74 0.47 0.07
7X5 0.17 0.51 0.08 0.25 -8.24 -2.77 0.00
8X5 0.00 -0.13 0.08 -0.42 0.97 -3.50 0.05
7X6 0.42** 1.96 1.00 0.83 6.73 2.59 0.25
8X6 -0.08 -0.32 -0.08 -1.08 -2.85 -2.12 0.34
8X7 0.08 1.98 -0.33 0.33 5.53 1.06 0.01
SE(rij) 0.15 2.18 0.67 0.85 7.04 3.95 0.23
LSD.05 0.31 4.47 1.37 1.74 14.42 8.09 0.48
LSD.01 0.42 6.03 1.85 2.35 19.45 10.91 0.65

Table 6: High Parent Heterosis (%) for Grain Yield and Other Agronomic Traits in an 8x8 Diallel Cross of Field,
Pop and Sweet Corn
Emergence Chlorophyll Days to Days to Plant Ear Grain
Hybrid
count content tasselling silking height height yield
1X2 -7.41 2.37 -3.27 0 -8.79 -6.01 -10.59
1X3 -4 -8.54 2.21 1.61 7.04 -10.96 7.13
1X4 -7.69 -22.14 -4.53 -4.66 5.8 -7.19 33.72
1X5 -3.85 -13.28 0 -0.32 9.81 -2.48 28.45
1X6 -17.86 -0.75 -2.15 -2.57 17.06 -7.79 -30.34
1X7 3.57 -5.52 -6.73 0.33 -1.28 2.73 -42.24
1X8 -3.7 -5.87 -1.08 0 3.68 -10.56 8.88
2X3 -18.52 -6.02 2.18 -0.32 -6.34 0.95 -19.46
2X4 -11.11 -3.84 -2.79 -3.11 -14.56 -7.6 -26.02
2X5 -11.11 -23.85 0.71 0 -11.02 1.62 9.45
2X6 -21.43 -12.27 -0.36 0.32 -15.02 3.13 -10.43
2X7 -14.29 -5.03 -5.72 2.94 -13.7 -6.69 -27.14
2X8 -7.41 -5.54 0.36 2.26 -2.34 0.08 -5.36
3X4 -19.23 -6.42 0.35 -3.73 -8.66 -11.23 -23.68
3X5 -11.54 -16.79 -2.48 -0.63 0.63 -1.28 7.73
3X6 -14.29 -2.97 -1.08 -0.96 5.74 6.84 -6.21
3X7 -17.86 -16.18 -6.4 0 -3.24 7.24 -8.26
3X8 -7.41 -12.46 0.36 0.32 16.75 23.22 -4.10
4X5 -7.69 -19.39 0.35 -0.31 4.07 6.83 -4.83
4X6 -10.71 1.57 -3.83 -3.42 -1.49 -9.56 6.34
4X7 -17.86 7.76 -7.41 -4.04 -3.5 -1.13 -4.01
4X8 -18.52 -13.29 -2.79 -4.35 2.05 1.32 -3.48
5X6 -10.71 -8.99 -2.48 -1.27 0.48 5.13 1.03
5X7 -14.29 -15.6 -6.4 -0.63 -3.9 -2.75 -15.65
5X8 -11.11 -17.11 2.48 0.95 5.92 -7.47 11.00
6X7 3.57 -0.54 -2.36 3.54 7.57 4.53 -8.09
6X8 -10.71 -16.19 2.15 1.93 11.82 6.78 13.03
7X8 -14.29 -7.34 -7.41 -1.94 3.31 -5.09 -12.59
2X1 -11.11 -9.18 -2.55 -1.64 -0.02 -6.06 55.57
3X1 -8 -5.69 1.47 -0.65 12.88 1.98 11.61
4X1 -3.85 8.87 -4.53 -5.28 15.24 4.32 29.37
5X1 -7.69 -12.54 -2.13 -0.95 -2.13 -13.99 -39.43
6X1 -14.29 -19.01 0.36 0.32 9.02 -1.94 7.96

Combining Ability and Heterosis for Grain Yield and Other Agronomic Traits in an 8x8 Diallel Cross of Field, Pop and Sweet Corn
Ojo et al. 796

Table 6 continued: High Parent Heterosis (%) for Grain Yield and Other Agronomic Traits in an 8x8 Diallel Cross
of Field, Pop and Sweet Corn
Emergence Chlorophyll Days to Days to Plant Ear Grain
Hybrid
count content tasselling silking height height yield
7X1 -21.43 -12.06 -7.41 0 4.61 -16 -49.88
8X1 7.41 -3.33 1.8 -2.9 -0.91 -9.28 -16.68
3X2 0 -29.01 2.91 1.61 -1.9 9.56 -0.55
4X2 -11.11 -6.49 -5.57 -6.21 1.39 3.85 -14.87
5X2 -11.11 -15.7 -2.13 -1.9 -10.21 -13.17 -22.60
6X2 -14.29 -5.22 -1.43 -2.25 -3.69 -1.96 -25.00
7X2 -17.86 -18.4 -6.4 3.59 -6.89 3.23 0.21
8X2 -7.41 -9.22 -4.32 -3.23 -0.23 14.48 -5.34
4X3 -11.54 -0.04 -5.57 -4.66 -0.42 -1.93 -29.70
5X3 -7.69 -32.38 1.77 2.86 31.37 10.8 10.55
6X3 -10.71 1.02 -2.51 -0.96 5.88 7.73 20.34
7X3 -7.14 -13.82 -4.38 -1.61 -2.53 7.84 -33.38
8X3 -11.11 -14.13 0.72 0.65 -0.46 0.1 -23.49
5X4 0 -23.71 -2.79 -3.11 8.22 -1.78 33.09
6X4 -14.29 -5.14 -3.48 -3.42 -0.63 -3.04 -6.21
7X4 -14.29 2.91 -12.46 -9.32 -4.41 -2.41 17.50
8X4 0 -9.92 1.08 -3.42 -6.31 -1.92 11.61
6X5 -14.29 -15.31 -4.61 -3.81 5.44 4.01 -5.68
7X5 -21.43 -17.74 -6.73 -1.59 6.56 3.87 -15.52
8X5 -11.11 -16.58 2.13 2.54 4.63 0.92 5.21
7X6 -14.29 -10.27 -6.4 0.32 5.04 -1.9 -29.61
8X6 -7.14 -14.68 2.51 6.11 15.66 12.11 -18.26
8X7 -17.86 -16.75 -6.06 -3.23 -3.7 -7.71 -13.17

Table 7: Mean Grain Yield of parents (diagonal), F1s (above diagonal) and Reciprocals (below diagonal) in an 8x8
Diallel Cross of Field, Pop and Sweet Corn
Parents 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Array mean
1 1.61 1.44 2.12 2.44 2.12 1.5 1.36 1.95 1.85
2 2.51 1.48 1.6 1.35 1.81 1.92 1.71 1.7 1.65
3 2.21 1.97 1.98 1.51 2.14 2.01 2.16 1.9 1.92
4 2.36 1.55 1.39 1.82 1.74 2.28 2.25 1.76 1.9
5 1 1.28 2.19 2.43 1.65 2.17 1.98 1.99 1.99
6 2.32 1.68 2.58 2.01 2.03 2.15 2.16 2.43 2.07
7 1.18 2.35 1.57 2.76 1.98 1.65 2.35 2.05 1.95
8 1.49 1.7 1.52 2.04 1.89 1.76 2.04 1.79 1.97
Array mean 1.87 1.7 1.85 2.08 1.96 1.9 1.95 1.97

Accepted 7 September 2020

Citation: Ojo GOS, Ochigbo AE, Simon CA (2020). Combining Ability and Heterosis for Grain Yield and Other Agronomic
Traits in an 8x8 Diallel Cross of Field, Pop and Sweet Corn. International Journal of Plant Breeding and Crop Science,
7(2): 789-796.

Copyright: © 2020: Ojo et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons
Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original
author and source are cited.

Combining Ability and Heterosis for Grain Yield and Other Agronomic Traits in an 8x8 Diallel Cross of Field, Pop and Sweet Corn