General and specific combining ability of quality protein maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines for major foliar diseases and other agronomic traits at mid-altitude of Ethiopia
Lemi Yadesa, Debela Diro and Zelalem Tafa
Even though maize is an essential cereal crop for food security, many foliar diseases provide the biggest dangers to and constraints on the country's maize production, leading to low yields, particularly of high-quality protein maize (QPM). As a result, Ethiopia's national maize research program has published QPM maize varieties that are suitable for the nation's highland, mid-altitude, and low moisture stress agro-ecologies. However, because of these and other characteristics that have restricted farmers from adopting them, the market share of these types is often low. One of the effective tools for finding the best combiners that may be employed in crosses to accumulate biotic resistance and productive alleles is general and specific combining ability study. During the 2019/2020 main season at Bako and Jimma, a line x tester analysis comprising 36 crossings produced by crossing 9 chosen maize inbred lines with 4 testers was assessed for several desirable agronomic features. The experiment's goal was to ascertain the QPM inbred lines' GCA and SCA combining prowess in relation to key foliar diseases and Ethiopia's mid-altitude agroecology. Three replications by an alpha-lattice pattern were used to analyze the crossings. Grain yield, Turicum leaf blight, Grey Leaf Spot, Common Rust Disease Severity Index, Days to Silking Interval, and Days to Maturity were all noted for study. For almost all of the qualities under study, mean squares analysis of variance revealed significant mean squares attributable to crosses. The majority of the examined traits had significant GCA mean squares attributable to lines and tests. The majority of features and the most prevalent foliar maize diseases across locations were likewise significant using SCA mean squares. The current study found that for the majority of examined variables, GCA and SCA variants were of comparable relevance. A negative and extremely significant GCA effect was seen for husk cover in the inbred lines L1, L2, L5, and L8. From this research, it can be concluded that significant foliar diseases of maize, higher performing hybrids, inbred lines with desirable GCA and cross combinations with desirable SCA effects for grain production, and other features were successfully identified.
Lemi Yadesa, Debela Diro, Zelalem Tafa. General and specific combining ability of quality protein maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines for major foliar diseases and other agronomic traits at mid-altitude of Ethiopia. Int J Res Agron 2022;5(2):81-90. DOI: 10.33545/2618060X.2022.v5.i2b.113