2023, Vol. 6, Issue 1, Part A

author(s)
Dereje Abera

abstract
Heterosis is the groundwork for developing a good economically viable hybrid maize variety. Evaluation of Maize test crosses was carried out during the 2019 main cropping season at research field of Haro Sabu Agricultural Research Center West Oromia, Ethiopia. The main objective of the study was to identify direction and magnitude of standard heterosis in mid-land maize hybrids for grain yield and yield attributing agronomic traits. Seventy-two maize hybrids and three standard checks were tested using 5x15 alpha-lattice (0, 1) design with two replications. The analysis of variance exhibited a highly significant (p<0.01) genotypic differences for all observed agronomic traits with exception to shelling %, stand count at harvesting and common leaf rust. The study identified elite and high grain yielding test crosses possessing positive and significant standard heterosis over the best check hybrid (BH547)as in case of L3xL1, L5xL1, L5xT2, L6xT4, L8xT1, L8xT2, L8xT4, L9xT2, L10xT2, L11xT3, L12xT1, L13xT2, L16xT2, L18xT1. These crosses could be used in maize breeding program after further confirmation of the stability of present results across years and locations.