Six Brazilian bread wheat cultivars differing in tolerance to barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) were crossed according to a diallel design, to determine general and specific combining ability. ABYDV isolate transmitted by Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) was inoculated in plants when seedlings had two leaves. Ten days after anthesis each plant was examined receiving a score according to its symptom severity. Data were evaluated according to Griffing method, fixed model and method two. Heterosis was evidenced, related to the addictive effects of complementary genes. Cultivars BR 34 and BR 35 showed the best values of general combining ability (GCA). They are recommended as parents in wheat breeding programs to obtain tolerant genotypes to BYDV.
Triticum aestivum; heterosis; combining ability; plant breeding
