Abstract
The spotted stem borer, Chilo partellus, Swinhoe (Lepidoptera, Crambidae) is one of the most destructive insect pests of maize in tropical environments. However, the combining ability and heterotic orientation of the germplasm for grain yield and borer resistance is limited. The objective of this study was to determine combining ability and heterotic orientation of new maize inbred lines under C. partellus infestation. Sixty six (66) inbred lines were crossed to two single cross testers in a line x tester mating scheme. The 132 testcross hybrids and four checks were evaluated at three locations in Kenya under C. partellus infestation. General and specific combining ability effects were significant for C. partellus stem borer resistance traits and grain yield, suggesting the importance of both additive and non-additive gene effects for these traits. Heterotic classification of lines was done based on both heterosis and specific combining ability data. Based on heterosis for grain yield data at Embu, 15 lines were allocated to group A, 18 to group B and 12 to group AB. At Kakamega, 26 lines were oriented towards group A, 19 to group B and 9 to group AB. At Kiboko, 15 lines were inclined towards group A, 18 to group B and 11 to group AB, whilst the remainder could not be classified. Based on the SCA estimates, at Embu, 10 lines revealed positive SCA effects with both testers and were considered to be AB-oriented while 8, and 1 lines were oriented towards A, and B, respectively. A similar trend was detected at Kakamega and Kiboko. The identified lines and heterotic groups would be used by hybrid maize programs where C. partellus stem borers occur exclusively or in league with other stem borers. Key words: Tropical maize, maize breeding, biotic and abiotic stresses tolerance.
Highlights
Maize is the principal crop grown by the mainstream of rural families in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)
Results of specific combining ability (SCA) effects of top 20 lines and their corresponding two testers for C. partellus stem borer resistance, grain yield and agronomic traits are presented for Embu, Kakamega and Kiboko (Tables 4 and 5)
Specific combining ability effects were significant for C. partellus resistance traits and grain yield signifying that non-additive effects were crucial for borer resistance and grain yield
Summary
Maize is the principal crop grown by the mainstream of rural families in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The progress made in breeding plants for improved quality and tolerance to both biotic and abiotic stresses has led to development of new maize hybrids with better agronomic characteristics. Despite these advances farmers in SSA continue to suffer huge crop losses from high insect pest incidences which occur in several generations per year due to friendly environmental conditions that enable insect development (Kfir et al, 2002; Tefera, 2012). C. partellus is absent in the highland tropics, it is progressively intensifying its range to higher altitudes, and currently, it is the most widely distributed stem borer in the maize growing zones in Kenya (Kfir et al, 2002; Tefera et al, 2011)
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