Combining ability analysis using diallel mating (10 x10) design over two locations in 10 short duration open pollinated maize populations and their 45 F1’s was conducted for grain yield and five other related characters. The study on combining ability in maize revealed that variations due to both general combining ability (gca) and specific combining ability (sca) at the two locations viz; Almora and Bajaura, were significant, indicating the importance of additive and nonadditive gene effects. L 4 was observed to possess high and significant gca effects for grain yield, ear length, 100-kernel weight and early maturity; Pool 33 (Alm) for grain yield, ear diameter and 100-kernel weight, whereas, VL 88 and Surya for earliness. None of the crosses combination of VL 16 x L 4 showed high sca effects and desirable per se performance for grain yield.