Agronomic Performance, Combining Ability, and Heterosis of 20 Single-Cross Maize Hybrids

Taufiq Hidayatullah, Doctoral Program in Agricultural Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Andalas, Indonesia; Politeknik Pembangunan Pertanian Medan, Indonesia, Irfan Suliansyah, Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Andalas, Indonesia, Etti Swasti, Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Andalas, Indonesia, Nurwanita Ekasari Putri, Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Andalas, Indonesia, I Made Jana Mejaya, Research Center for Food Crops, Research Organization for Agriculture and Food, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Indonesia
Received: 2026-05-14
Accepted: 2026-09-28
Published: 2026-10-29

Abstract


Maize (Zea mays L.) is an important cereal crop, and developing high-yielding single-cross hybrids is essential to improve productivity. This study evaluated agronomic performance, yield components, broad-sense heritability, general combining ability (GCA), specific combining ability (SCA), reciprocal effects, heterosis, heterobeltiosis, and standard heterosis of 20 single-cross maize hybrids derived from five inbred parents. The experiment was conducted in Koto Tingga Village, Padang City, Indonesia, from November 2024 to February 2025, using a randomized block design with three replications, 20 hybrids, five inbred parents, and P32 as a check. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance, Tukey's HSD at 5%, and a fixed-model full diallel analysis (Griffing Method I). Genotypes significantly affected 14 of 16 traits; ear height and stem diameter were not significant. Broad-sense heritability of yield potential was 77.79%. GCA was highly significant for 14 traits and SCA was significant for nine traits; reciprocal effects were significant only for ear length. Mz2 had the highest GCA for yield potential (0.85), and Mz2 × Mz4 had the highest SCA for yield potential (1.61). HUA16 and HUA6 had the highest estimated yield potentials (13.75 and 13.73 t ha⁻¹), although neither differed significantly from P32 by Tukey's HSD at 5%. They showed heterosis of 36.03% and 35.86%, heterobeltiosis of 29.35% and 29.19%, and positive standard heterosis relative to P32 of 15.32% and 15.18%, respectively. HUA16 and HUA6 are promising candidates for further yield and multi-location testing.


Keywords


Combining ability, griffing method I, heterobeltiosis, heterosis, single-cross hybrid.

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References


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DOI: https://doi.org/10.30596/agrium.v29i2.30514

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