Response of five cultivars (with different levels of resistance to sunnpest) and their F1 progenies, produced through half – diallele crossing, were evaluated under field conditions, using a randomized complete block design of three replications. The experiment was carried out in Agricultural College, of Razi University in 1997. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences among genotypes regarding percentage of increase in weight of mother sunnpest, decrease in biological yield, seed yield and seed number in spike. Diallele analysis using Griffing (method II) and Hayman procedures were performed. Combining ability analysis indicated significant differences in percent increase in weight of mother sunnpest for both general and specific combining ability effects. Regarding the above mentioned traits, Rashid (with the lowest GCA effect), Navic Sardari (with the lowest SCA) were the most suitable varieties and hybrids for higher resistance. Non-additive gene effects for the increase in weight of mother sunnpest were of over dominance natures while for the other traits, of partial dominance. There are the highest number of dominant genes for the increase in weight of mother sunnpest present in Sabalan cultivar whereas the highest number of recessive genes are observed in Sardari cultivar. Broad and narrow sense heritabilities for the increase in weight of mother sunnpest were 74.58 and 25.25 percent, respectively. No significant correlation between grain damage and morphological characters was observed. Correlation observed between grain damage and protein quality was negative and significant.
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