General and Specific Combining Ability of Quality Protein Maize (Zea mays L.) Inbred Lines for Major Foliar Diseases, Grain Yield and Other Agronomic Traits Evaluated at Mid-altitude Agroecology of Ethiopia

Abstract: Despite the fact that maize is a crucial cereal crop for food security, several foliar diseases are the main threats and limitations maize production in Ethiopia, resulting in low yields, particularly quality protein maize (QPM). Accordingly, national maize research program of Ethiopia has released QPM maize varieties adapted to the mid-altitude, low moisture stress and highland agro-ecologies of the country. Nonetheless, the market share of these varieties is generally small due to these reason and other features that have limited their adoption by farmers. General and specific combining ability analysis is one of the powerful instruments in identifying the best combiners that may be used in crosses to accumulate biotic resistance and productive alleles. A line x tester analysis involving 36 crosses generated by crossing 9 selected maize inbred lines with 4 testers were evaluated for different desirable agronomic traits during 2019/2020 main season at Bako and Jimma. The purpose of the experiment were to determine the GCA and SCA combining ability of QPM inbred lines, adapted to mid altitude agroecology of Ethiopia for grain yield and major foliar diseases. The crosses were evaluated in alpha lattice design replicated 3 times. For analysis of days to silking interval, days to maturity, turcicum leaf blight, grey leaf spot, common rust disease severity index, and grain yield were recorded. Analyses of variances showed significant mean squares due to crosses for almost all the traits studied. GCA mean squares due to lines and testers were significant (P<0.05 or P<0.01) for most studied traits. SCA mean squares were also significant for most attributes and major foliar maize diseases across locations. The comparative importance of GCA and SCA variances observed in the current study for most studied traits. Inbred lines L1, L2, L5 and L8 exhibited negative and highly significant GCA effects for husk cover. From this conduct it can be decided that better performing hybrids, inbred lines with desirable GCA and cross combinations with desirable SCA effects for grain yield, major foliar maize diseases and other traits were successfully identified.