Abstract
Experiments were conducted in season 2014B at Naivasha maize lethal necrosis screening facility to evaluate Tanzanian maize germplasms for resistance to maize lethal necrosis (MLN). One hundred and fifty-two maize landraces and 33 inbreed lines were artificially inoculated with maize chlorotic mottle virus and sugarcane mosaic virus isolates in two trials arranged in a completely randomized design (CRD) and two replications. Inocula for both virus isolates were prepared, combined and applied to the trials by a 12 L backpack mist blower 4 and 5 weeks after planting. Disease incidence was assessed based on a 1 to 5 MLN rating scale 14, 28, 42 and 72 days post inoculation (dpi) for landraces and 7, 14, 21 and 52 dpi for inbred lines. Significant phenotypic variations (P 0.05) were detected on inbreed lines as all materials were susceptible to MLN with scores ranging from 4.5 to 5 except for resistant check CML494 (mean score of 3.75). In this study, five maize landraces were identified as tolerant candidates against MLN. The identified landraces should be subjected to further MLN testing to explore their potential in breeding for MLN resistance. Key words: Zea mays, maize chlorotic mottle virus, sugarcane mosaic virus, maize lethal necrosis, maize landraces.
Highlights
Maize (Zea mays L.) is among the world’s major cereal crop widely grown for food, feed and income generation for millions of people around the world (Wang et al, 2011; Legesse et al, 2006)
Four commercial East African maize hybrids known for their susceptibility to maize lethal necrosis (MLN) (Duma 43, Pan 67, H614 and Pioneer) were used as check to screen maize landraces, whereas
All inbred lines attained the mean score values between 4.5 and 5.0 except for the resistant check line CML494 which differed from inbred lines tested materials with a mean score of 3.75 (Supplementary material Table 2)
Summary
Maize (Zea mays L.) is among the world’s major cereal crop widely grown for food, feed and income generation for millions of people around the world (Wang et al, 2011; Legesse et al, 2006). Latin America, maize stands as the number one staple food for over 1.2 billion people and more importantly for 30 to 50% of low-income household in Eastern and Southern Africa. Most of Africa’s rural economies, at least 85%, rely on maize for human consumption as compared to the developed world where most maize grain is used for animal feed, biomass feedstock and for manufacturing industries (FAO, 2012)
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