Evaluation of agronomic performance of local and improved maize varieties in Tanzania

Abstract

Fifty Tanzanian local maize cultivars, seven popularly grown commercial varieties in Tanzania and eleven elite lines from CIMMYT, Nairobi, Kenya were evaluated for agronomic performance. The genotypes were subjected to randomized complete block design at three sites in 2015, both conducted at Arusha region, in Tanzania. The analysis identified highly significant variances among genotypes evaluated and their interactions with environments. The GGE biplot analyses identified the winning genotypes on mean yield and stability. An open pollinated variety (OPV) Situka 1 and an hybrid DH 04 had generally the best performance in terms of grain yield and stability across all three locations. A local cultivar TZA 2793 emerged to be the promising landrace with overall appealing yield and stability performance. The obtained information through this current study may be a good source of new allelic diversity that could be used for developing different important elite maize materials.