Performance of Single Cross Maize (Zea mays L.) Hybrids under Rainfed Middle Hill Environments of Nepal

Abstract

Maize is the livelihood of smallholder farmers and priority food crop in the middle hills of Nepal. To achieve maize self-sufficiency in the country we need to shift from open-pollinated varieties to hybrids in potential pockets of middle hills. Coordinated varietal trials on hybrids were conducted for three consecutive years from 2016/17 to 2018/19 across the middle hills during summer to identify high-yielding, biotic and abiotic stresses resistant/tolerant single crosses that fit into the existing rainfed cropping system. We evaluated fifteen, nine, and ten genotypes in 2016/17, 2017/18, and 2018/19, respectively. Trials were replicated thrice using a randomized complete block design with a unit plot size of four rows of 4-m long. Based on acceptable grain yield, anthesis to the silking interval, ear position, and Turcicum leaf blight (TLB) and Grey leaf spot (GLS) reaction, CAH1715 (9.12 t ha-1), RML-4/RL-111(8.72 t ha-1), RML-98/RL-105 (8.25 t ha-1), RL-150/RL-111 (8.18 t ha-1), RL-36/RL-105 (8.04 t ha-1), CAH1521 (7.67 t ha-1) and Rampur Hybrid-10 (7.65 t ha-1) were identified promising. These genotypes will be promoted to farmers' field trials and other participatory variety selection activities.