GENE ACTION STUDIES FOR PROTEIN QUALITY TRAITS IN ZEA MAYS L. UNDER NORMAL AND DROUGHT CONDITIONS

Abstract

A complete 8 × 8 diallel set (parents and F1 hybrids) involving eight maize inbred lines was planted in replicated trials. Genetic components D and H (H1, H2) showed that inheritance of quality traits i.e. protein, tryptophan and lysine percentage was under the control of additive effects with partial-dominance under normal as well as drought stress conditions. Inbred line NCMLD4 contained maximum number of dominant genes for protein and tryptophan percentage across water regimes. Additive gene action together with high narrow sense heritability suggested that improvement in maize for these traits through early generation selection can prove fruitful.