Forty-five single-cross hybrids developed from ten inbred lines of quality protein maize through diallel mating design along with four checks viz., Pratap QPM Hybrid-1, Vivek QPM-9, HQPM-1 and HQPM-5 were evaluated in randomized block design with three replications for seventeen traits during kharif-2014, to identify the heterotic superiority of the New cross combinations over the parents and best check. Out of 45 crosses, 42 crosses over mid parent, 37 crosses over better parent and 6 crosses over standard check (HQPM-5) significantly out yielded for grain yield plant-1. Hybrid P 6 ×P 8 showed maximum per se performance for grain yield plant-1 , stover yield plant-1 , ear length, ear girth and tryptophan content also showed good per se performance for oil content (6.13%), starch content (69.83%), protein content (10.52%) and for lysine content (4.19%) with maximum positive significant economic heterosis (19.63%) for grain yield plant-1 , over the best check HQPM-5. Hybrid P 5 ×P 8 showed highest per se performance along with maximum positive significant economic heterosis for lysine content and protein content over the best check Vivek QPM-9 and HQPM-5, respectively. Another hybrid P 3 ×P 5 and P 5 ×P 7 exhibited highest per se performance for oil content and starch content, respectively, along with maximum positive significant economic heterosis over the best check HQPM-5 and HQPM-1, respectively.

Forty-five single-cross hybrids developed (in rabi 2014) from ten inbred lines of quality protein maize through diallel mating design along with four checks viz., Pratap QPM Hybrid- 1, Vivek QPM- 9, HQPM- 1 and HQPM-5 were evaluated in randomized block design with three replications for yield and quality traits during kharif-2014, to estimate the gca (general combining ability) of the parents and sca (specific combining ability) of hybrids considered for the development of high yielding varieties. The analysis of variance for combining ability revealed significant mean sum of squares due to gca and sca for all the traits, except mean sum of square due to gca for num-ber of grain rows per ear. Ratio of σ2 sca / σ 2 gca was greater than one for all the traits, thereby indicating the preponderance of non-additive gene effects in the expression of these traits. Inbred line P8 and P5 has been found good general combiner with highest magnitude of gca effects 10.46 and 8.89, respectively and high per se i.e. 52.33 g and 44.67 g, respectively for grain yield per plant and majority of traits. Hybrids P6xP8, P5xP8, P3xP5, P5xP7 and P1xP8 showed higher significant positive sca effects ranged from 25.66 to 34.59 along with good per se ranged from 98.00 to 107.67 g for grain yield per plant. These hybrids also exhibited significant positive sca effects for most of the yield and quality traits under study, indicating potential and may be used for exploiting hybrid vigour in in QPM hybrid breeding programmes.

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