Identification of promising parental lines and hybrids in sweet corn (Zea mays L. saccharata)

Information on combining ability and standard heterosis are crucial for the success of any hybrid breeding program. The present study was conducted in sweet corn involving crossing of twenty inbreds as female lines and five inbreds as testers in line × tester mating fashion during kharif, 2019. Resulted 100 F1s were evaluated in rabi, 2019-2020 for twelve yields and its attributing traits. Analysis of variance for combining ability revealed the existence of wider variability in the material studied exhibiting significant differences due to lines, testers, hybrids and various interactions. Non-additive gene action was observed pre-dominant for all the traits. Inbreds SCGP-88, SCGP-111, SCGP-36-3- 1, SCGP-91, BSL-4, SCGP-44-2, VNR-SC-24, VNR-SC-23, SCGP-66-1 and SCGP-61-1-4 were identified as good general combiners. Crosses viz., SCGP-207-1 × SCGP-44-2, SCGP-54 × VNR-SC-29, SCGP-42 × SCGP-80, SCGP-82 × SCGP-80 and SCGP-66-1 × SCGP-44-2 were identified as promising hybrid combinations based on per se performance, sca effects and standard heterosis over the commercial checks.