Heterosis in relation to per-se performance and effects of general combining ability in sugarcane

Twenty four crosses, obtained from eight lines x three testers were studied for sca, gea effects, per-se performance and heterosis, in ten characters viz; millable canes/clump, internodes/cane, stalk weight, stalk girth, kg-brix, sucrose per cent in juice, purity coefficient, invert sugar, ccs/cane and fibre per cent. The study revealed no association between combining ability effect and hctcrotic response as well as between per-se performance and heterotic response. The gea effects and per-se performance both should be considered for selection of parents in sugarcane hybridization programme. The POJ 2878 x Co 775 and Q 68 x Co 775 were best cross combination from quantitative point of view whereas CP 44/101 x Co 6904 proved best for quality.