Combining ability for some economic characters in peanut, Arachis hypogaea L.

Six parental peanut genotypes (Arachis hypogaea L), i.e.; 1) NC 12, 2) Line 292, 3) Line 320, 4)Line 480, 5) Giza 6 and 6)Gregory vary in genetic make up were employed to obtain half diallel of 15 F1 and F2 crosses, excluding reciprocal . The parental peanut genotypes and their Fifteen F1 and F2 crosses were evaluated in a randomized complete block design in three replications under two sowing dates and two different locations, Ismailia and Sharkia governorates for no. of pods / plant, pods weight / plant, pod yield (ard / fad.), seed weight / plant, 100-pod weight, 100-seed weight, shelling percentage and oil percentage. Collected data were statistically and genetically analyzed according to Griffing (1956) Model-1, Method-2. The results revealed that, both general combining ability (additive) and specific combining ability (non-additive) gene actions were important in controlling the expression of all the studied yield characters. The additive genetic variance was greater than dominance one for pods weight / plant (g), pod yield ard / fad, 100pod weight (g) and 100-seed weight (g) under both sowing dates and locations. Parental peanut genotypes NC 12, Line 480, Giza 6 and Line 623(Gregory) showed positive and significant GCA effects for pods weight / plant (g), pod yield ard / fad, 100-pod weight (g), 100-seed weight (g) and seed weight / plant (g) under the two sowing dates and locations. Moreover, Line 292 and Line 320 were good general combiner for no. of pods / plant, shelling percentage- and oil percentage, therefore these genotypes can be used in breeding programs to improve these characters. Peanut crosses (Line 480 x Giza 6, Line 480 x Gregory and Giza 6 x Gregory) and (NC 12 x Line 292, NC 12 x Line 320 and Line 480 x Giza 6) exhibited positive and significant SCA effects for most studied yield characters under both sowing dates and the two locations. These results are of great interest for peanut breeder when planning effective and correct breeding program for improving yield and its components