Classifying farmer-bred maize (Zea mays L.) varieties into heterotic groups using broad-based testers.

Issue Date

12-2018

Abstract

Through many decades of farmers' selection, the farmer-bred maize varieties (or native varieties) from the Philippines formed unique potential in adaptation and proven to be genetically-diverse. But its utilization in varietal improvement programs is less explored due to their low yield. Using broad-based elite maize populations as testers, the study aimed in classifying 70 farmer-bred varieties into heterotic groups. Testcross progenies were generated during the 2015 DS followed by field evaluation in replicated trials at Pangasinan, Isabela, and UPLB from 2016-2017. ANOVA revealed significant effects of native (farmer-bred variety), tester, and native x tester interaction for important traits like YIELD, EPP, EL, FW, and GW. Combining ability estimates based on YIELD were used in generating GGE biplots and dendrogram. Three clusters, which are also equivalent to the proposed heterotic groups, explained 61.2% of the variation in combining ability of farmer-bred varieties and testers. Broad-based testers representing each group are chosen and may be used to classify other farmer-bred varieties in the future. Farmer-bred varieties with high GCA are recommended for intra-population improvement, while testcrosses exhibiting high SCA may be directly considered as potential population hybrids. Traits from farmer-bred varieties will also be incorporated to further improve the elite maize populations (used as testers). The study is an effort to manage farmer-bred variety or germplasm through the proposed heterotic groupings, in order to utilize them in maize varietal improvement programs in the country. Further experimentation is needed to validate the proposed heterotic groupings.

Source or Periodical Title

Philippine Journal of Crop Science

ISSN

0115-463X

Volume

43

Issue

3

Page

57-66

Document Type

Article

College

College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS)

Physical Description

illustration; graphs; tables

Language

English

Subject

Corn varieties; Corn germplasm;Plant breeding

En – AGROVOC descriptors

ZEA MAYS; MAIZE; VARIETIES; GERMPLASM; CLASSIFICATION; FARMERS; PROGENY; FIELD EXPERIMENTATION; INDIGENOUS ORGANISMS; BREEDING METHODS; PHILIPPINES

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS