The present investigation was conducted using 28 different genotypes (seven parents and their 21 F1s) of maize under organic conditions at the Rain-fed Organic Research Farm, Narayanbag, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Bundelkhand University, Jhansi (U.P.) India, during kharif 2018 and rabi season 2018-19. In order to determine the general and specific combining ability of parents and the crosses, the growth parameters and yield components were evaluated in a 7×7 diallel fashion in maize in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications. In this study, the GCA effects suggested that parent P1, P2 and P4 were the most desirable as they possessed high GCA effect for most of the characters. Among F1 crosses, P4 x P3, P3 x P1, P5 x P3 and P7 x P5 having significant positive SCA were found to be desirable for yield and yield attributing characters. The maximum heterotic effects in desirable direction for yield attributes were showed by the cross combinations viz; P1 x P6, P2 x P7, P2 x P5, P1 x P2, P3 x P4, P5 x P7 and P3 x P5. The maximum heterosis was recorded in for Seed yield per plant P5 x P7 (39.32%) which ranged from -14.69 to 49.55.
Yield and yield attributes of maize (Zea mays L.) as affected by detasseling and potassium fertilization