Genetic variability and Selection Parameters for yield and its contributing characters in Quality Protein Maize (Zea mays L.)

Author: Harshit Tripathi, R.K. Yadav, Lokendra Singh, H.C. Singh, Shweta, Pawan Kumar Saini, Swapnil Dwivedi and Pratyksh Pandey

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Abstract

Ten QPM inbred lines and their all-possible cross combinations excluding their reciprocals (10 parents + 45 F1s) were evaluated in a randomized block design with three replications during Rabi 2020-2021 at Student’s Instructional Farm, C. S. Azad University of Agriculture and Technology- 208002, Kanpur, U.P. to get the extent of variability and related parameters to select effectively for grain yield and quality characters. It is a big challenge for researchers to get high grain yield with high protein. The data was recorded on sixteen characters viz., days to tasseling, days to silking, Days to maturity, Plant height (cm), Cob length (cm), Cob diameter (cm), Number of grain rows per cob, Number of grains per row, Cob yield per plant(g), Grain yield per plant (g), Shelling %, 100 kernel weight (g), Protein content (%), Lysine content (%), Tryptophan content (%), Seed vigour index. The result showed higher estimated values for Phenotypic Coefficient of Variability (PCV) of all the sixteen characters as compared to their corresponding Genotypic Coefficient of Variability (GCV). Highest values of PCV and GCV were noted for Lysine content (%) followed by Cob diameter (cm), Cob length (cm), Number of grain rows per cob and Protein content (%) based on F1 while it was lowest for Days to maturity and Plant Height (cm). Difference between the PCV and GCV for Number of grain rows per cob and Plant Height (cm) were found higher indicating these two characters more influenced by environment, while low value of difference for remaining characters showed stability of the characters. High heritability in broad sense was observed for all the characters. High genetic advance % over mean was found for Lysine content (%) and Cob diameter (cm) while moderate for Cob length (cm), Number of grain rows per cob, Cob yield per plant(g), Shelling %, Protein content (%) and Seed vigour index and low for Days to tasseling, Days to silking, Days to maturity, Plant height (cm), Number of grains per row, Grain yield per plant (g), 100 kernel weight (g) and Tryptophan content (%). An advancement of 24.19% in Lysine content (%) followed by 20.69% in Cob diameter (cm) per cycle of selection at K=2.06. Both additive genes and non-additive genes were found effective for all the characters whereas Cob diameter (cm) and Lysine content (%) were under the control of non-additive genes. Simple selection based on progeny performance may be helpful for improving grain yield per plant.

Keywords

Quality Protein Maize, Zea mays, genetic variability, heritability, genetic advance, selection parameters

Conclusion

The present study generally indicated that there was plenty of genetic variability among the genotypes. Thus, there is vast opportunity in the improvement of protein, lysine and tryptophan content in these quality protein maize genotypes. Therefore, the results and information generated from current study need to be used by interested plant breeders. Since the experiment was carried out at one location and in one season, it is advisable to continue over several years and locations with this study for the improvement of normal maize to QPM. Studies revealed that the lysine content (%) followed by Cob diameter (cm) with high heritability and high genetic advance followed by Cob length (cm), Number of grain rows per cob, Cob yield per plant(g), Shelling %, Protein content (%) and Seed vigour index and low for Days to tasseling, Days to silking, Days to maturity, Plant height (cm), Number of grains per row, Grain yield per plant (g), 100 kernel weight (g) and Tryptophan content (%) were the major yield attributing characters coupled with moderate genetic advance, so emphasis should be given for these characters at the time of simple selection.

References

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How to cite this article

Harshit Tripathi, R.K. Yadav, Lokendra Singh, H.C. Singh, Shweta, Pawan Kumar Saini, Swapnil Dwivedi and Pratyksh Pandey (2023). Genetic variability and Selection Parameters for yield and its contributing characters in Quality Protein Maize (Zea mays L.). Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(9): 958-962.