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Hybrids were synthesised in a 11 x 11 diallel fashion excluding reciprocals and analysis of combining ability was undertaken for yield and its component traits in maize. Non-additive genetic variance played a preponderant role in the inheritance of plant height, leaf length, number of grains per row and seed yield per plant. Based on general combining ability, parent UMI 757 was found to be a good combiner for improving yield and yield contributing traits. Three cross combinations viz., UMI 852 x UMI 615, UMI 852 x UMI 577 and UMI 852 x UMI 556 had highly significant sea effect for most of the yield contributing traits.