Combining abilities of in vitro traits in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) immature embryo cultures

Summary Combining ability for six in vitro culture traits in wheat were studied in a 8×8 diallel cross (excluding reciprocals). Specific combining ability effects (sca) were significant for all six traits derived from immature embryos on two media protocols, whereas general combining ability (gca) variances were significant only for five of them. Furthermore, based on ratios obtained by comparing the ratio of K² gca to K² sca, sca was more important than gca for all six traits. Genetic correlations between shoot formation and other in vitro traits, except callus weight and root formation, were higher in magnitude than the corresponding phenotypic correlations estimates, indicating the importance of genetic effects.