GGE biplot analysis for combining ability of grain yield and early maturity in maize mutant in Indonesia

Determination of combining abilities and heterotic groupings of parental lines is very important in selecting the mutant lines and to decide breeding strategies for maize hybrid production. Fourty six new mutant lines used in maize breeding programs in Indonesia, were crossed to three tester lines in a lines×testers mating design. The 138 F1 hybrids, the 46 parental lines and 3 tester lines were evaluated at Arjasari, West Java, Indonesia for the following objectives: (i) to analyze line×tester data for maturity and grain yield using GGE for identifying genetic inter-relationships among parents and (ii) to identify the best combinations for maturity and grain yield in maize hybrids. The GGE biplot graphic allowed a rapid and effective overview of General Combining Ability (GCA) and Specific Combining Ability (SCA) effects of the inbred lines, best lines and tester, as well as their performance in crosses. High GCA effect for maturity and grain yield was determined based on Average Tester Coordination function of GGE Biplot. Thus, it was revealed that DR 4 is the best tester for early maturity and DR 6 for grain yield. The maximum best-parent heterosis values and the highest SCA effects resulted from mutants (10, 31, 32, 34, 36, 48) and mutants (5, 7, 10, 32, 34, 36, 37 and 48) crosses to testers (4, 6 and 8) for early maturity and grain yield, respectively. This is potentially useful in maize breeding programs to obtain high-yielding hybrids in areas with the same climate of Indonesia.