Abstract
Multi-trait selection helps breeders identify genotypes that appeal to divergent groups of preferences. In this study, we performed simultaneous selection of sweet-waxy corn hybrids on several traits covering the perspectives of consumers (taller kernel depth, better eating quality), growers (early maturity, shorter plant stature, and high ear yield), and seed producers (high flowering synchrony, acceptable seed yield, and good plant architecture). Three supersweet corn lines and 8 waxy corn lines were intercrossed to generate 48 F1 hybrids according to North Carolina Design II, and these genotypes were laid out in a randomized complete block design with 3 replications across 2 seasons between 2017 and 2018. A sensory blind test on sweetness, stickiness, tenderness, and overall liking was conducted to assess the eating quality of steamed corn samples. Two methods of simultaneous selection, namely unweighted selection index and overall rank-sum index (ORSI), were applied to rank crosses, following all targeted groups of preferences. Genetic parameters and genetic gain were estimated to evaluate the effectiveness of those selection methods. Both approaches had similar patterns of preferable realized gain on each given trait and could identify similar top five crosses with only slight order changes, implying that these methods were effective to rank genotypes according to given selection criteria. One of the tested crosses, 101L/TSC-10 × KV/mon, consistently had the highest unweighted selection index in the dry (7.84) and the rainy (7.15) seasons and the lowest ORSI (310), becoming a promising candidate as synergistic sweet-waxy corn hybrid appealing to consumers, growers, and seed producers. The expected ideotypes of sweet-waxy corn hybrid are discussed.
Highlights
Waxy corn (Zea mays L.) is considered a vegetable crop in most Asian countries.In Thailand, it is harvested at the fresh stage and is consumed as a cooked ear [1]
Season was significant for the anthesis-silking interval (ASI), husked ear length (HEL), row number per ear (NRE), kernel number per row (NKR), total kernel number per ear (TKE), anthesis date (AD), silking date (SD), husked ear yield (HEY), and kernel depth (KD)
Block was significant for all observed traits except for plant height difference (PHD), AD, SD, ear height (EH), and HEY
Summary
Waxy corn (Zea mays L.) is considered a vegetable crop in most Asian countries. In Thailand, it is harvested at the fresh stage and is consumed as a cooked ear [1]. Further improvement of traditional waxy corn is currently directed on both yield and palatability. Hybrid breeding is most common in corn by exploiting hybrid vigor, well known as heterosis [2]. Single-cross hybrids account for most corn acreage because of their high yield and uniformity in appearance [3,4]. Breeding programs for waxy corn are occasionally disconnected from the demands of end-users [5]. An effective strategy to increase cultivar adoption is the development of plant ideotypes considering the divergent preferences of end-users
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