Standard Heterosis for Grain Yield and its Attributing Traits in Early Maturing Maize Hybrids

The present study was conducted at the research farm of Dryland Agriculture Research Station, SKUAST-Kashmir during the kharif of 2019. Range of heterosis was calculated over standard check. The most desirable cross combinations viz., KDM-440 x KDM-914A (-5.879), KDM-440 x V-335 (-4.468), KDM-930 x V-351(-4.165), KDM-927A x V-335 (-3.986), CML-470 x KDM-914A (-3.808) for days to maturity, KDM-347 x V-351 (4.967) CML-470 x KDM-914A (4.610), CML-474 × V-351(-4.396), KDM-927 A x V-351 (-3.110), KDM-930 x V 335 (2.896) for number of kernel rows per cob, KDM-347 x V-351(-7.544), KDM-440 x V-351 (6.438), KDM-916A x KDM-914 A(6.117), CML-470 × V-351(5.992), CML-474 x V-335 (5.274) for number of kernels per row, KDM-340 x V-351 (3.966), KDM340 x KDM-914A (3.150), KDM-930 x V-351(3.165), KDM-440 x KDM-914 (3.556), KDM-347 x V-351(3.324) for 100-grain weight, KDM-347 x V351 (34.197), KDM-440 x V335 (28.933), CML470 x KDM-914A (29.380), KDM-895 x KDM914A (25.383), KDM927A x KDM-914A (19.549) for grain yield per plant were observed in the present study. The range of heterosis over standard check for days to maturity from -3.796 (CML-425 × KDM-914A) to (2.414) CML-474 × KDM-914A. The extent of heterosis for number of kernel rows per ear over standard check ranged from CML-470 x V-335(28.576) to KDM-916A × V -335(-2.143), for quantity of kernels per row maximum well known heterosis ranged from CML-470 × V-351 (19.079) to KDM-347 × V-351 (-15.132), for 100- grain weight, heterosis ranged from 22.3% for CML-470 x KDM-914 A to -3.5% for KDM-916A × V-335. For grain yield per plant, heterosis ranged from 61.9% for CML-470 x K DM-914 A to 9.3% for KDM916A x V-335. Standard heterosis for crosses CML -470 × KDM-914 A, CML-474 × V-351, KDM-440 × V-335 should be tested for multilocation to make valid conclusion related to their use in commercial maize cultivation.