Evaluation of quality protein maize (QPM) inbred lines and their f1’s under natural epiphytotic and artificial conditions for turcicum leaf blight [(Exserohilum turcicum) (pass.) Leonard and Suggs.

Abstract

Maize (Zea mays L.), a staple food crop in many parts of the world, is affected by many diseases that reduce yield varies from 28 to 91 percent. A set was obtained by crossing ten QPM inbred lines in 10×10 diallel fashion. In total sixty lines including parents, F1’s and standard check (HQPM-1, HQPM-4, HQPM-7, PRATAP QPM-1 and VIVEK QPM-9) were evaluated against leaf blight (Exserohilum turcicum) of maize under field conditions and artificial conditions during kharif 2016 and 2017, respectively. The fourteen cross combination CML163 × CML161, BAJIMQ-08-26 × CML171, CML180 × BAJIMQ-08-26, CML170 × CML161, CML189 × CML162, CML193 × CML163, CML180 × CML163, CML180 × BAJIMQ-08-27, CML180 × CML170, BAJIMQ-08-26 × CML189, CML180 × CML161, CML171 × CML163, CML163 × CML162 and CML189 × CML163 and among the parents CML171 exhibited moderately resistance (MR) for Turcicum leaf blight under natural epiphytotic conditions, whereas only five cross combinations CML170 × CML162, CML193 × BAJIMQ-08-27, CML180 × CML163, CML189 × CML161, CML180 × CML189 and one parent (BAJIMQ-08-26) showed moderately resistance (MR) for turcicum leaf blight under artificial epiphytotic conditions. These lines identified to possess low disease incidence scores against Turcicum leaf blight in the present study could be used successfully in developing genotypes having a desirable level of resistance in disease-endemic areas to aim for sustainable productivity.