ABSTRACT
Combining ability for various quantitative traits viz. days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, plant height, panicle height, number of primary braches per panicle, number of secondary braches per panicle , 100 seed weight (g), Grain yield per plant (g), Protein (%),Tannin content (ppm), Phenol content (ppm) were studied through (4 x 12) line x tester mating design. combining ability revealed that gca variances for female lines were non-significant for most of the characters except panicle length(cm), whereas gca variance for males were non-significant for most of the characters except plant height (cm), primary branches per panicle, secondary braches per panicle. ICSR-13009 and ICSR-36 exhibited good general combining ability for early flowering. From the good general combiner eight parents viz. ICSA-400, ICSR-36, RSV-1359, ICSR-14006, RS-627, RS-673, CS-3541 and ICSR-13022 were reported either good or average GCA effects for grain yield. Parents viz., ICSA-400, RSV-1359, RS-627 and CS-3541 were also exhibited either good or average GCA effects for grain yield and protein content. From the good general combiner parents in test weight ICSA-400, ICSR-14006, RS-627, CS-3541 and ICSR-13022 and from panicle length ICSA-442, ICSR-93036 and ICSR-14006 were represented good performance in grain yield with either good or average GCA effects. From all cross combinations, ICSA-400 x RS-673, ICSA-400 x RS-627 and ICSA-442 x ICSR-14006 are better grain yielder hybrids useful in further breeding programme for development of promising genotypes with dwarfness, ICSA-442 x RSV-1359, ICSA-29005 x ICSR-93036 and ICSA-29005 x ICSR-14006 for long panicle, ICSA-400 x RS-627, ICSA-442 x ICSR-14006 and ICSA-29005 x ICSR-14006 for high test weight and ICSA-29005 x CS-3541 for higher protein content.