White Maize: Genetics of Quality and Agronomic Performance

Abstract

White maize (Zea mays L.) is preferred for human consumption, but little is known about the genetic regulation of flour quality, and the potential value of genotypes adapted to temperate areas has not been reported. The objectives of this work were to assess the potential value of flint white maize inbreds from northwestern Spain and to determine the genetic effects of quality. A diallel among flint and dent white inbred lines was evaluated in northwestern Spain, and generation mean analyses were performed for three crosses representing flint by flint, dent by dent, and flint by dent combinations. Dent × dent hybrids had low density. Considering grain yield and density together, the best hybrids were EP64 × K301, EP71 × K301, and EC22 × Mo20W, which had poor milling test values, and high proportions of whole kernels. Considering the relative importance of nonadditive genetic effects, the final goal of breeding programs should be to obtain hybrids. Both additive and nonadditive genetic effects have to be taken into account to improve any of these traits in the flint genetic background. Moreover, it will be difficult to improve kernel density and proportion of whole kernels in any genetic background.