The objectives of this study were to indicate the best improvement strategy and select parents to begin an improvement program of white grain popcorn based on the combining ability and heterosis of eight populations selected in experiments in the northwestern region of Paraná. The traits plant and ear height, grain yield and popping expansion were evaluated. The base populations, the F 1 and five controls were evaluated in Maringá, state of Paraná, over the course of two years. Heterosis for

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... ping expansion was very low and the best improvement strategy is to raise the values of popping expansion up to commercial levels through intrapopulation improvement of the populations BRS Angela and SC 002. Intense selection must be applied to reduce plant and ear height; interpopulation selection must not be initiated at this moment.