General exhibited positive significant GCA effects for

 General combining ability effects            The data obtained from the crosses and parental lines were subjected to line x tester analysis. The estimates of general combining ability (GCA) effects of all the parents comprising six female and four male parents for all the characters in all the four environments have been presented in Table 2. The brief description of different characters for general combining ability analysis is as follows: Total soluble sugars (TSS)            Among lines14A (0.84) and 56A (-0.52) in E1 and 31A (0.73) in E4 were found to be good general combiners for this character.

Among testers, IS 2389 (0.41 and 0.54) in E1 and E3, and HJ 541 (0.49) in E4, respectively showed positive significant GCA effects for this character.

 Protein content             Among female parent, 9A (0.66) exhibited high positive and significant GCA effects for protein content in E1, 14A (0.46) in E2, 467A (0.38 and 0.35) in E3 and E4, respectively. Other lines which recorded significant positive GCA effects were 465A (0.

30) in E2, 56A (0.23) in E3 and 9A (0.09) in E4 indicated their suitability as good general combiner for protein content. In case of testers, genotype HJ 541 (0.

42) exhibited positive significant GCA effects for protein content in E1 while G 46 (0.21) in E2. The male G 46 (0.50) recorded positive significant GCA effects in E3 while IS 2389 (0.26) in E4.

The other good combining male parent was HJ 541 (0.27 and 0.25) in E3 and E4, respectively for protein content.  Protein yield per plant             In case of female parents, 9A (0.68) in E1, 14A (1.

31) in E2, 467A (0.78 and 1.50) in E3 and E4, respectively showed high positive and significant GCA effects for this character. Other lines which recorded significant positive GCA effects were 14A (0.53) in E1 and 9A (0.41) in E4which indicated their suitability as good source material for this character.

Among testers, genotypes G 46 (0.90, 0.44 and 0.83) in E1, E2, and E3, and HJ 541 (0.

86) in E4 recorded high positive and significant GCA effects for this character. HJ 513 (0.54) in E1 was also found to be good general combiner for this character.  In vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD)            Among lines, 9A (4.01 and 2.

15) in E1 and E2 respectively, 467A (3.08) in E3 and 9A (5.86) in E4 recorded high positive and significant GCA effects for this character. Other female parents which showed significant positive GCA effects were 467A (2.81) in E1, 14A (2.09) and 56A (2.02) in E2, 465A (2.93) in E3 and 465A (3.

71) in E4 indicated their suitability as good general combiner for this character. As far as testers are concerned, G 46 (1.55) in E1, HJ 513 (2.

15) in E2, HJ 513 (2.68) in E3, HJ 513 (1.22) and HJ 541 (1.00) in E4 recorded positive GCA effects for this character. The other good combining testers were IS 2389 (1.

20) in E1 and G 46 (1.03) in E4 which indicated their suitability as source material for this character.