The present study conducted in popcorn lines with the objective to estimate combining ability and also to ascertain the magnitude and nature of quantitative genetic variation for grain yield and yield contributing traits. Seven inbred lines were crossed in half-diallel fashion to obtain 21 crosses. The data was collected on twelve characters including popping expansion ratio. Both additive and non-additive gene actions were important in the inheritance of characters Plant height, ear height, ear girth, number of kernel rows per ear, number of kernels per row, 100-kernel weight, grain yield per plant and popping expansion ratio. A comparison of the magnitude of variance components due to GCA and SCA confirmed predominant role of non-additive gene action in governing the characters. Among the parents MRC PC-1, MRC PC-7 and MRC PC-5 can be considered as good general combiners and genetically worthy parents as they exhibited desirable GCA effects for yield and important yield contributing characters. The crosses, MRC PC-4 × MRC PC-7, MRC PC-1 × MRC PC-4, MRC PC-2 × MRC PC-4, MRC PC-3 × MRC PC-7, MRC PC-3 × MRC PC-5 and MRC PC-1 × MRC PC-5 can be considered as good specific combiners as they were superior for yield and important yield contributing characters over popular commercial hybrids.