Zuhra Bibi1, Abdur Rauf1*, Muhammad Qayash2, Farooq Jan1, Ikramullah Khan1, Muhammad Sadiq1, Muhammad Faiq1, Mamoona Bibi1, Moeed Akbar1, Sundus Ali1, Ruby Wali Khan1, Wisal Khan3, Yumeng Liu4 and Wang Xiaoyu5
1Garden Campus, Department of Botany, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, Pakistan 2Garden Campus Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, Pakistan 3Garden Campus Department of Chemistry, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, Pakistan 4Huazhong Agricultural University, China 5Yunnan Agricultural University, China
*Corresponding author: rauf77@awkum.edu.pk
The current study was conducted with the objectives to evaluate the genetic variability and combine ability effects in F2 hybrid population. The F2 hybrids were generated by crossing six wheat lines (Auqaab, Fatehjung, Anmol-91, Khattakwal, KT-06, PR-128) and three testers (YR-5, YR-10, YR-15) in line by testers matting design during 2021-22. A total of twenty-seven (27) wheat lines were analyzed in complete randomize block design with three replications i.e. six lines, three testers and eighteen F2 hybrids. Significance (P 0.05) differences were observed among the genotypes for days to heading, plant height, spike length, spikelets per spike, 1000 grain weight, biological yield, and grain yield in contrast to tiller per plant and flag leaf area, which showed non-significance genetic variation. The line by testers showed non-significance variation for the entire traits except spikelets per spike, 1000 grain weight, biological yield, and grain yield in F2 population. In general, a significant positive GCA (general combine ability) effect was observed in Khattakwal line for days to heading, plant height, 1000 grain weight, biological yield, and Auqaab line for spike length, spikelet per spike, for grain yield and Fatehjung for tiller per plant and PR-128 line for flag leaf area. The tester lines including YR-5 revealed a positive significance GCA effect for days to heading, spike length, 1000 grain weight, and grain yield and YR-10 for plant height and tiller per plant, and YR-15 for flag leaf area and spikelet’s per spike. In contrast F2 population showed a positive SCA (specific combine ability) effect for days to heading (PR-128*YR-5), plant height (PR-128*YR-15/FatehJung*YR-10/PR-128 *YR-15/KT-06*YR-10) tillers per plant, flag leaf area, spike length, revealed significance (Auqaab *YR-5), spikelet per spike (PR-128*YR-5), 1000 grain weight (Khattakwal*YR-15), biological yield and grain yield (Auqaab*YR-5). All the genotypes including parental, tester lines and F2 population showed best mean performance for all the traits analyzed.