Deshpande, S.K.Mani B.R.2022-01-192022-01-192017-10https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810181043Maize inbreds with drought and turcicum leaf blight (TLB) resistance were used in this study conducted at the Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Dharwad. Thirty one superior inbreds and two testers were crossed in line × tester design to derive 62 test hybrids. Parents, test hybrids and checks (Bio9631, Bio9681, Super 900M) were evaluated for drought tolerance and yield under stress and non-stress conditions during summer 2016 and 2017. Inbreds PDM6529, HKI163 and PDM6576 under stress and HKI163, PDM6518, PDM6529 under non-stress condition were found to be best general combiners while, the crosses PDM4211 × LM13, PDM6547-1 × LM13 and PDM6547-2 × LM13 under stress and PDM6516 × LM17, PDM6547-1 × LM13 and MLB28-1 × LM13 under non-stress condition were best specific combiners for traits related to drought tolerance and yield. Mean yield of the cross PDM4211 × LM13 under stress and non-stress conditions (81.46 q ha-1) was 12.79 per cent superior over best commercial check Bio9631 (72.22 q ha-1). Six generation mean analysis using susceptible (BM125) × resistant (BM135) parents indicated non-additive gene action for TLB resistance. Heterosis breeding approach is suitable to develop resistant hybrids. Of the 146 SSR markers used in the study, three markers viz., bnlg1045, bnlg1940 and mmc0411 were identified to be associated with TLB resistance apart from validating the linkage of marker phi109642 with TLB resistance. The best three general combiners viz., PDM6529, HKI163 and PDM6576 for drought tolerance and yield can serve as donor parents in breeding for drought tolerance these lines can be crossed in diallele fashion to derive superior hybrids. The test hybrid PDM4211 × LM13 with yield superiority has potential for commercial cultivation. New markers bnlg1045, bnlg1940 and mmc0411 linked to TLB resistance can be utilized in marker assisted selection for TLB resistance.EnglishThesis