Abstract: The comdining ability for 10 characters of 54 crosscombinations mated with 15 sesame varieties were analysed in this study. The result showed that general combining ability variances were obviously higher than spesific combining ability which indicated these characters were mainly controlled by additive gene action. The differences of GCA values with different characters of a parent or characters with different parents were evident. And the differences of SCA values of different combinations were also evident. It is not desirable to rule out some crosses with high SCA values though the GCA values of their two parents were negative. The SCA values of cross-combinations were significantly positively correlated with the means of biparental GCA values. The total combining ability of 5 characters, i.e. length of fruiting section of the steme, seed yield/plant, capsules/plant, plant height and 1000 seed weight were significantly positively correlated with seed yield/plant, and significantly negatively correlated with height of first capsules/setting and the length of spike top. These results may be useful in selecting and mating good parents and selection for better hybrids in sequence generations.

Key words: Sesame, Combining Ability