Agronomic performance and stability and of grain yield of f2 populations maize hybrids

Abstract

In Brazil, corn is grown in a wide variety of environments, investments and technologies, requiring the development of different types of hybrids. Breeding programs aim to identify genotypes with productive potential combined with better adaptation and stability. The objective of this work was to evaluate 28 hybrids of F2 maize populations, obtained from a complete diallel, together with the eight parent F2 populations and two commercial witnesses, regarding the main agronomic traits: male flowering (FM), plant height and ear ( AP and AE) and grain mass (MG) and estimate the parameters of adaptability and stability. The experiments were developed in 2008/2009 and 2009/2010, in three locations in the State of São Paulo (Campinas, Mococa and Palmital) and the experimental design used was the randomized blocks with three replications. Individual and joint analyzes of variance were performed, the means being grouped by the Scott-Knott test and the parameters of adaptability and stability estimated by the methods of Eberhart and Russell (1966) and Annicchiarico (1992). There was a significant difference (P <0.01) for treatments, locations and interaction between treatments in all evaluated characters. The average for MG was 7,515 kg ha-1, highlighting the hybrid P4 x P1 with MG of 9,095 kg ha-1. The average of hybrids was 40.5% higher than that of parental F2 populations. The hybrids of F2 populations differ in terms of adaptability and stability for MG, with the majority of hybrids (82%) showing general adaptability. The P4xP1 and P4xP2 hybrids are superior to MG and are promising for recommendation in a wide range of environments.