Combining Ability for Field Emergence, Kernel Quality Traits, and Certain Yield Components in Sweet Corn (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

ABSTRACT Sweet corn (Zea mays L.), a specialty corn, has poor field emergence, stand establishment, and low yield compared to field corn, and the latter would be beneficial in the improvement of these traits. Seven field corn and four sweet corn inbred lines were used in a line-by-tester mating design for the analysis of combining ability and heterosis for field emergence, kernel quality traits, and some yield components. Field corn and sweet corn lines differed significantly in flowering, green-ear traits, yield, total soluble solids, and biochemical traits. Field corn inbreds (L5 and L6) and tester T4 emerged as good combiners for early maturity, whereas L2 was a good combiner for yield and sugar content. Testers T2 and T4 were good general combiners for early maturity, green-ear length, total sugar, and non-reducing sugar. Sweet corn recorded higher contents of sugar components and less starch compared with the field corn. Among crosses, L1 × T2, L6 × T4, and L3 × T2 were best specific combiners for early maturity, field emergence, and fresh ear weight, whereas hybrid L7 × T2 had better specific combining ability for grain yield, total soluble solids (TSS), total as well as non-reducing sugars. Further, hybrid L2 × T3 had high per se performance for fresh ear weight (246.67 g) and total sugar (15.49%). Such elite combinations with more fresh harvest yield as well as sugar content can be advanced to select sweet corn lines with improved plant stand and yield, and field corn lines with enhanced sugar content.