INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE & BIOLOGY ISSN Print: 1560–8530; ISSN Online: 1814–9596 14–472/2015/17–3–523–530 DOI: 10.17957/IJAB/17.3.14.472 http://www.fspublishers.org Full Length Article To cite this paper: Aslam, M., Q. Sohail, M.A. Maqbool, Q.U. Zaman and S. Bano, 2015. Combining ability analysis and genetic inheritance of salt tolerance indicators in maize (Zea mays) following diallel mating design. Int. J. Agric. Biol., 17: 523‒530 Combining Ability Analysis and Genetic Inheritance of Salt Tolerance Indicators in Maize (Zea mays) Following Diallel Mating Design Muhammad Aslam 1* , Qamar Sohail 1 , Muhammad Amir Maqbool 1 , Qamar U. Zaman 1 and Zubair Ahmed 2 1 Department Plant Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan 2 Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics,PMAS University of Arid Agriculture, Rawalpindi. * For correspondence: aslampbg@yahoo.com; aslampbg@gmail.com Abstract Saline soils are the source of severe abiotic stress, which hinders crop productivity. To compete the challenges of food security for rapidly growing population of the world, it is necessary to utilize marginal lands for cultivation by developing saline adapted varieties. Total six elite maize lines were used as parents following diallel mating design. Resultantly 30 F 1 s were generated. Data were recorded for different adaptability indicators under saline environments in maize. Differences among mean squares for general combining ability (GCA), specific combining ability (SCA) and reciprocal effects for all the indicators were highly significant. Root length, shoot length, Na + and K + ion contents were governed by non-additive type of gene action whereas; leaf area was controlled by additive gene action. Under different saline environments, better adaptability level regarding GCA, SCA and their reciprocal effects were indicated in maize genotypes L7-2, OH-41 and WFTMS. The cross Q67 × L7-2 exhibited comparatively highest level of adaptability regarding SCA effects under saline environments. For reciprocal effects maize genotypes L7-2, Q67, OH-41 and WFTMS could be used in different crossing combinations for the development of maize hybrids adapted to different saline environments. © 2015 Friends Science Publishers Keywords: Maize; Adaptability; Gene action; Saline environment; Griffing’s approach Introduction Maize is an important cereal all around the world. Each and every part of maize plant is used either in food or in non- food products. It ranked third on the basis of production and consumption among cereals after wheat and rice. Its seed comprises of high nutritive value i.e., 72% starch, 17% ash, 10% protein, 8.5% fiber, 4.8% oil and 3% sugar (Ahsan et al., 2007). In Pakistan the leading producers in maize are Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwan (KPK) provinces. Soil salinity is one of the most critical abiotic stresses widely distributed in the world. Globally about 20% irrigated land is salt affected (Prochazkova et al., 2013). Almost 12 billion US$ are the estimated losses in world’s irrigated land due to salinity (Zahoor et al., 2011). Total area of Pakistan is 80 million hectares out of which salt affected soils are 6.30 million hectares and it is increasing at the rate of about 40,000 ha annually (Nawaz, 2007). Different crops are differentially affected by salinity stress (Saleem et al., 2011; Rauf et al., 2012; Aslam et al., 2013a). For a plant breeder existence of genetic variability among genotypes at different evaluating standards is a key source for plant improvement (Bello et al., 2012). Maize has significant variation among different characters (Aslam et al., 2013b; Naveed et al., 2014) which could be used for further selection or improvement. Seedling emergence along with different morphological traits is the most viable selection standard for adaptability to saline environments (Radic et al., 2007). Concept of hybrid development in maize was initiated in 1933 and now prevailed worldwide. Potential of inbred lines in different combinations of hybridization is determined by general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA). Different inbred lines have different GCA due to presence of additive, additive × additive and higher order gene interactions whereas, differences in SCA of crosses is credited to non-additive genetic variance (Falconer, 1981). Diallel mating design is most appropriate for the assessment of potential of inbred lines, because they are crossed in all possible combinations (Yan and Kang, 2003). This technique provides the information about inheritance pattern of gene action in early filial generations to breeders for development of hybrid (Hayman, 1954; Jinks, 1954). Griffing’s numerical diallel approach (Griffing, 1956) was used for combining ability analysis of maize inbred lines. This approach is based on first order statistics and gives very sound, robust and precise results. The majority of yield related traits are controlled by additive. Dominance and additive gene actions are effectively used for the improvement of hybrids (Kumar et