Combining ability for yield and kernel eating quality in synergistic super sweet corn lines derived from exotic germplasm

Abstract

An increasing of genetic diversity by using exotic germplasm is an important way to help super sweet corn improvement successfully. Therefore, the objective of this study was to study combining ability for yield and kernel eating quality in the S₄ generation of synergistic super sweet corn lines derived from exotic germplasm. The eighteen super sweet corn lines were crossed with two testers by using top cross method. The parental lines, 36 hybrids, and 2 check varieties were evaluated in the dry season 2019/2020 at the two experimental sites. The results indicated that variations of dominance were more than additive gene effects for all studied traits, except for cob diameter and cob length, and then selection of these traits should be select in late generation. The L₂, L₃, and L₁₈ lines had high GCA values for yield performance. Moreover, L₃, L₉, L₁₆, and L₁₈ lines were also had the highest GCA values for flavor, tenderness, total soluble solid, and sweetness, respectively. In addition, all super sweet corn hybrids with a high mean and specific combining ability value were derived from tester and/or the S₄ generation lines with high GCA value. The results of this study revealed that L₁₈ line had a potential as a development synergistic super sweet corn inbred and using for created new hybrid with a high yield and kernel eating quality in the future.