Abstract
Five International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) drought tolerant and open pollinated varieties (OPVs) (lines) and four local varieties with various level of susceptibility to drought (testers) were used. These maize varieties were crossed using a line x tester mating design during the 2007 cropping season to determine the general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA); also the level of heterosis was investigated. Parental lines and hybrids were evaluated in Biu in 2008 and 2009 cropping seasons. Results from the analysis of variance and combining ability shows that there was high and significant level (P< 0.05) of genetic variability among the parental lines used and their hybrids in days to tasseling, days to silking, anthesis silking interval (ASI), plant height, ear height, weight of cobs, dehusked cobs and grain yield, thus suggesting the possibility for genetic improvement. The study established that, there were significant (P<0.05) differences of GCA effects of parents and that of SCA effects of hybrids. Estimates of GCA were consistently lower than SCA effects in almost all the traits evaluated. This suggests that high performing hybrids such as EVDT-99WSTRQPMC0 x EX-DAMBOA WHITE, EVDT-99WSTRC0 x EX-DAMBOA YELLOW andTZE-COMP3DTC1 x EX-DAMBOA WHITE may be used to develop potential varieties. The parents: EVDT-99WSTRC0, EVDT-99WSTRQPMC0, TZE-COMP3DTC1 and EX-BIU WHITE were identified as the best general combiners in terms of GCA for days to tasseling, days to silking, ASI, plant height, ear height, dehusked cobs and grain yield. Key words: Maize, combining ability, additive, non-additive genetic effects, drought tolerance.
Highlights
Maize (Zea mays L.) is a tropical cereal and belongs to the plant family Gramineae (Poaceae)
Four local cultivars susceptible to drought were used as testers: EX-BIU WHITE, EX-BIU YELLOW, EXDAMBOA WHITE and EX-DAMBOA YELLOW
The results reveal that the mean squares were significant in testers for days to 50% tasseling, days to 50% silking, plant height, weight of cobs, dehusked cobs and grain yield
Summary
Maize (Zea mays L.) is a tropical cereal and belongs to the plant family Gramineae (Poaceae). Maize is ranked the third most important cereal crop, after wheat and rice (Jaliya et al, 2011). International License cultivated cereal crops due to it adaptation to a wide range of environments. It is a major staple food crop in Nigeria and in many developing countries receiving much attention in industrial development. According to International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA, 2011); worldwide maize production is 785 million tonnes with the largest producer, the United States, producing. Africa imports 28% of the required maize from countries outside the continent
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