Combining Ability Analysis for Grain Yield and Its Components in Durum Wheat (Triticum durum Desf.)

Combining ability was studied using a line × tester (10 × 4) analysis in durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.). The analysis of variance for combing ability and the estimates of variance components indicated that the mean squares due to lines were significant for all characters which revealed significant contribution of lines towards general combining ability variance components for most of traits. The mean squares due to testers were also found significant for all the characters except number of spikelets per main spike, grain filling period and 100grain weight suggesting the larger contribution of testers towards component of gca variance. The mean sum of squares due to lines × testers interaction observed significant for all yield attributing traits which revealed the significant contribution of hybrids for specific combining ability variance components. The best general combiners for various characters were DBPY 2012-06 for grain yield per plant, MACS 4054 for days to heading, 100-grain weight, grain yield per plant, biological yield per plant and harvest index, UAS 428 for plant height, grain filling period and number of grains per main spike, GW 2010-275 for length of main spike and number of spikelets per main spike, UPD 2949 days to maturity and WHD 960 for number of effective tillers per plant. The best specific combiner was GDW 1255 × UPD 2949 for grain yield per plant.