Performance of white corn hybrids intended for grits in different production environments

Abstract

The Brazilian market has few hybrids intended for grits production, in particular, due to companies' lack of interest in developing new white corn hybrids due to the low proportion of cultivation in yellow corn hybrids. Another complicating factor is the genotype × environment interaction for recommending superior genetic materials. For this reason, this work aimed to evaluate agronomic characteristics and grits yield of commercial white corn hybrids IPR 127 and Dow 120009HW in different production environments. The assays were carried out in the municipalities of Rolândia-PR (Brazil), Campo Novo do Parecis-MT (Brazil), and Naranjal-PY (Paraguay), in a randomized block design, with four replications in a 2 × 3 factorial scheme (white corn hybrids × production environments). The analyzed variables were plant height, main cob insertion height, lodging and breakage, grain yield, and grits yield. Data were submitted to variance analysis by F test (p<0.05) and means compared by Tukey's test, 5% probability of error, and principal component analysis (PCA). The production environments influence the performance of white corn hybrids intended for grits, IPR 127, and Dow 12B0009WH. The variables plant height, main cob insertion height, lodging and breakage, and grits yield were favored in cultivation in the municipality of Naranjal. The grain yield variable was higher in cultivation in Rolândia, and Campo Novo do Parecis municipalities. The white corn hybrid IPR 127 has a higher grits yield than the hybrid Dow 12B0009WH, in addition to greater stability of this variable depending on the production environments.