Abstract

Knowledge of gene action on yield and lodging related traits would help in framing suitable breeding strategy for the development of lodging resistance genotypes with high yield. Present investigation aimed at studying gene action among the eight yield and six lodging resistance related traits in two crosses MTU 7029/II 110-9-1-1-1-1 and MTU 7029/MTU 1121 using six-parameter model of generation mean analysis. The results revealed significance of scaling test for all the traits indicating inadequacy of additive dominance model for explanation of inheritance of 14 traits in both the crosses except for number of ear bearing tillers/plant, test weight and grain yield/plant in case of MTU 7029/MTU 1121. In both the crosses, characters number of filled grains/panicle, spikelet fertility, test weight, culm diameter and panicle length expressed complementary epistasis besides dominance x dominance interaction. Hence, biparental mating followed in early generations and selection could be practised in advanced generations to fix favourable alleles. Rest of the traits such as number of ear bearing tillers/plant, grain yield/plant, culm thickness, culm strength, basal internodal length and per cent of lodging exhibited duplicate type of epistasis. Characters with non-additive gene action coupled with duplicate type of gene interaction can be improved by recurrent selection or diallel selective mating.