Researchers conducted a study to understand how different maize plants inherit traits related to yield. They used a special breeding technique called full diallel mating design to create 380 new maize hybrids. By analyzing the data, they found that both additive and non-additive genetic factors play a role in determining traits like grain yield. Some maize plants showed strong potential for passing on good traits to their offspring, while others had a mix of positive and negative effects. Overall, the study suggests that a combination of genetic factors influences the traits of maize plants, with some plants being better at passing on desirable traits than others.