A field experiment with fifty three diverse genotypes (thirty six hybrids and their fifteen parents along with two checks) were evaluated following line × tester analysis for twelve characters under sodic soil (pH=9.2, EC=2.21dSm-1 and ESP 45%). The experiment was conducted under irrigated condition in Randomized Block Design with three replications during Kharif, 2015. The 36 F1s were generated by crossing three testers with twelve lines during Kharif, 2014. Twelve plant characters viz., days to 50% flowering, flag leaf area (cm2), plant height (cm), panicle bearing tillers per plant, panicle length (cm), spikelets per panicle, grains per panicle, spikelet fertility (%), test weight (g), biological yield per plant (g), harvest-index (%), and grain yield per plant (g) were studied in the experiment. The analysis of variance for combining ability revealed high significant mean squares due to lines × tester interactions indicating the preponderance of non-additive gene effects for all the characters. The estimates of sca variance were higher than the corresponding estimates of gca variance for all the characters and values of average degree of dominance were more than unity (>1) revealing over dominance for all of the characters. The predictability ratio was less than one for all the characters further supported the preponderance of non-additive gene action. For days to 50% flowering, panicle bearing tillers per plant, spikelet fertility and harvest index; the predictability ratio could not be estimated due to negative value of gca variance for such estimates also indicated the importance of non-additive gene action in the inheritance of these characters under sodic soil condition. On the basis of general combining ability effects, IR12T193, NDRK 50051, NDRK 50060, and IRRI123 were identified as good general combiners for yield and several other important traits to emerge as valuable parents for hybridization programme for obtaining high yielding hybrid or pure line varieties for sodic soil condition. Five crosses viz., NDRK 50037 x CSR 28, IR79156 x IRRI123, NDRK 50051 x FL 478, NDRK 50058 x FL 478, and NDRK 50060 x IRRI123 showed significant and positive sca effects for grain yield per plant as well as some other yield components. Hence, attention should be given to these five crosses for further utilization in breeding programs for isolating high yielding genotypes to sustain the production and productivity of salt affected soil.

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