Abstract
Combining ability analysis was undertaken for eight traits, seed yield, panicle number plant branch number panicle-1, panicle length, panicle branch length, days to flower, days to se, shattering, and 100-seed weight in Guinea grass (Panicum maximum Jacq) over two years, 19f and 1989. Parental clones expressing high general combining ability (sca) effects and cross, expressing high specific combining ability (sea) effects for these traits were identified. Mean perfon ance of parental clones for seed yield did not seem to be related to their sca (r = 0.2). Both g. and sea mean squares were significant for all the traits. However, sca × environment mean square were significant for all the traits except seed yield, panicle length, and panicle branch length. S. x environment mean squares were significant only for days to flower, days to seed shattering, ar 100-seed weight. Magnitude of non-additive estimates of variance was much higher than that of ti additive estimates of variance for all the traits which indicated that crosses among sexual ar apomictic clones might be attempted to improve seed yield and other traits in Guinea grass.
