Effect Of Diallel Size On The Estimation Of Some Genetic Parameters In Bread Wheat

The present investigation was aimed to estimate; (1) Mean performance, (2) Heterosis, (3) General and specific combining ability and (4) Types of gene action, genetic ratios and heritability for earliness characters, flag leaf area and spike characteristics, yield, its components and protein content for four, five and seven parental diallel crosses, involving Egyptian and exotic wheat germplasm excluding reciprocal hybrids.The results indicate high degree of genetic variability existed among parental wheat genotypes and their F1 crosses for days to heading, flag leaf area, yield and its components and protein content. The number of superior genotypes that could be exploited through phenotypic selection was increased with increasing diallel size.