Breeding potential of U.S. maize germplasm for utilization in Chinese temperate conditions

Abstract

U.S. maize germplasm has been considered as a new alternative source of favorable alleles to broaden the narrowing genetic base of temperate germplasm. However, direct utilization of diverse U.S. germplasm in target mega-environments could be hampered by limited adaptation-related information on parental performance or heterotic response in crosses with local germplasm. The objective of this study was to measure the performance of U.S. maize populations for broadening the Chinese germplasm base. Fifteen diverse U.S. populations were testcrossed to three local tester lines, representing Chinese heterotic groups A, B, and D, to evaluate parental adaptation and combining abilities for days to silking (DS), ear height (EH), and grain yield (GY) in target and intermediate mega-environments in northern China. There was genetic variability among U.S. maize populations for additive and non-additive effects for DS and GY, and predominant additive genetic effects for EH. All 15 U.S. populations, except for BS27 and BS31 due to slightly high EH, could be directly used in target mega-environments similar to the U.S. Corn Belt. U.S. populations BS11(HI)C7, BS13(S)C7, BS17(CB)C4, BS31, BSCB1(R)C12, and BSBB(SRCB)C4 had better effects for increasing GY. Favorable effects for DS were also observed in BS11(HI)C5 and BS31, for DS and EH in BS13(S)C7 and BSCB1(R)C12, and for EH in BSBB(SRCB)C4. The best strategies for utilizing these germplasms may be to introgress BS13(S)C7 and BS17(CB)C4 into group A, BS11(HI)C5 into group B, and BSCB1(R)C12 and BSBB(SRCB)C4 into group D to increase genetic variation within Chinese heterotic pools.