Abstract: The general and specific combining abilities of seven flue-cured tobacco cultivars were analysed on the basis of NC II design. Among them three cultivars with good, qualitative characters were taken as female parents, while four cultivars with good agronomic characters, as male parents. The analysis results showed that the general and specific combining abilities of all the characters were significant or very significant except the specific combining ability of plant height and single-leaf weight. According to the effect of the general combining ability and the effect and variance of the specific combining ability, the genetic properties of some related characters of parent cultivars and their usage in breeding were discussed in this paper.

Key words: Flue-cured tobacco, Qualitative character, Agronomic character, Combin-ing ability