Performance of drought tolerant three-way and top cross maize hybrids in Sudan Savanna of North Eastern Nigeria

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted during the 2008 cropping season in two locations in Lokodisa, Gwoza Local Government Area and Sabongari in Damboa Local Government Area both in Borno State Nigeria. These two locations are both located within the Sudan Savanna agro-ecology of north-eastern Nigeria and the soil of the area is clay loam and are well drained. The study was conducted in order to evaluate the performance of drought tolerant maize hybrids in the drought prone areas of Sudan Savanna of Borno State, Nigeria. It is one of the Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa (DTMA) Project Regional Trials sponsored by Bill and Melinda Gate Foundation. The results indicated that performance in yield and other yield traits among hybrids were significantly different statistically at 5% level of probability. The hybrid entry number M0826-2 recorded the highest grain yield in Lokodisa, while entry M0826-9 had the highest grain yield in Sabongari. The combined results however, indicated that the entries M0826-2, M0826-6, M0826-7, M0826-9, M0826-13 and M0826-14 recorded among higher grain yields compared to other entries. Most entries which gave higher grain yields incidentally produced higher values of 1000-grain weight. In the same vein, entries having higher grain yields also flowered earlier and could have an inherent potential for early maturity, a trait highly desirable for rainfall marginal areas like this one. These entries that have shown some promise for example, M0826-2, M0826-6, M0826-7, M0826-9, M0826-13 and M0826-14 need to be further evaluated for adaptation and adoption in drought prone environments that are characterized by poor and erratic rainfall.