Development and Identification of Drought Tolerant Maize (Zea mays L.) Hybrids
Loading...
Date
2018-01
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad
Abstract
The investigation was carried out to elucidate the genetic mechanisms underlying the drought tolerance in maize by withholding water before fifteen days of anthesis and silking interval at the Main Agricultural Research Station, University Agricultural science’s Dharwad. From the 100 inbred lines evaluated (rabi / summer 2014-15) ten drought tolerant inbred lines (DMIL 230, DMIL 438, DMIL 447, DMIL 516, DMIL 553, DMIL 607, DMIL 692, DMIL 715, CML 425 and NC 468) were selected based on genetic diversity (D2) and morphological traits for developing 45 single cross hybrids through half diallel mating design (kharif, 2015). These 45 hybrids and their parents were further evaluated during rabi / summer, 2016. Identified five top yielders (DMIL 438 DMIL 447, DMIL 512 DMIL 692, DMIL 425 DMIL 230, DMIL 448 DMIL 607 and DMIL 438 NC 468), five drought susceptible yielders their parents and two checks (CP-818 and GH-0727) were evaluated during rabi / summer, 2016-17 for drought tolerance. Simultaneously, evaluated for various root and shoot morphological traits under water stress condition in polythene bag upto 60 DAS.
Five hybrids viz., DMIL 516 DMIL 230 (6,338 kg/ha), DMIL 553 DMIL 447 (3,687 kg/ha), CML 425 DMIL 516 (3,905 kg/ha), DMIL 607 DMIL 516 (3,416 kg/ha) and NC 468 DMIL 692 (3,641 kg/ha) were superior drought tolerant hybrids based on relative water content, chlorophyll content, anthesis to silking interval, root traits and yield components under water stress condition. DMIL 715, CML 425, DMIL 447 and DMIL 516 have the best general combining ability for drought tolerance. These hybrids and the general combiners can be considered for moisture stress situations and for developing hybrids for drought tolerance, respectively.