Manifestation of Heterosis and Heterobeltiosis for yield attributing traits in inbred lines of maize (Zea mays L.)

The experiment was carried out during rabi, 2012-13 involving 15 inbred lines in combination with 4 testers in line x tester design to obtain 60 cross combinations for evaluation along with three checks for heterosis in terms of yield and its attributes. The results indicated significant negative relative heterosis for days to 50 per cent tasseling in 26 hybrids indicating earliness for maturity. Relative heterosis for plant height varied from 10.99 to 102.98 per cent, heterobeltiosis from -1.45 to 61.89 and standard heterosis from -35.44 to 7.75 per cent, -28.55 to 19.26 per cent and -26.88 to 22.04 per cent over DHM 117, 30 V 92 and0 900 M Gold, respectively. Relative heterosis and heterobeltiosis for ear height and ear length was found to be positively significant in most of the crosses. For 100-seed weight, majority of the hybrids showed significant and positive relative heterosis and heterobeltiosis with range of relative heterosis from -21.74 to 31.97 per cent and heterobeltiosis from -38.18 to 27.63 per cent and standard heterosis from -17.07 to 21.95 per cent over DHM-117, from -17.07 to 21.95 per cent over 30 V 92 and -8.11 to 35.14 over 900 M Gold, respectively. Significant positive relative heterosis and heterobeltiosis for grain yield per plant was also recorded by many hybrids indicating simultaneous manifestation of heterosis for yield component traits.