Response of drought tolerant maize inbreds to water stress under nematode infested conditions

Abstract

Maize is the most important cereal food crop is sub-Saharan Africa though yields are below their potential. Among the factors which limit yield, drought stress is one of the most pervasive. The ability of a crop to produce grain under drought (water) stress is governed by many factors including nematodes. The aim of the current study was to determine the response of drought tolerant maize inbreds to nematode attack, understand the interaction between nematode infestation and water stress on maize growth and yield. The study comprised three factors: optimal irrigation against water stress, five nematode treatment conditions and ten maize inbreds. Results showed irrigation option × genotype interaction to significantly affect growth of the maize crop from 6 weeks after planting. Water stress favoured the reproduction of lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus zeae), 50 times more than root knot nematodes (Meloidogyne incognita), which showed an increase in most inbreds only under optimal irrigation. Inbreds ACR.SYN-W, La Posta Seq. C7, TZL Comp1C4 and 5057 displayed resistance to P. zeae and M. incognita under water stress, although cob dry weights were low for TZL Comp1C4 and 5057. Inbreds BMB23, DTPL-W-C7 and TZEI1 displayed tolerance to P. zeae and M. incognita under water stress. Overall, there is a high possibility of extracting desired genetic combination for P. zeae/M. incognita resistant and drought tolerant genes from inbreds ACR.SYN-W and La Posta Seq. C7.