Genetic analysis of tassel and ear characters in maize (Zea mays L.) using triple test cross

Abstract

The genetic architecture of tassel and ear traits was studied by triple test cross design. Fifteen diverse white maize inbred lines (Four local and 11 exotic) viz, WI-9, W-6, W-7, GLET-7, GLET-27, CML-77, CML-79, CML-111, CML-38, CML-173, CML-213, CML-214, CML-240, CML-244 and 463 were crossed with three testers W3, 5 and W3x5. The test crosses were generated in 2004 at winter maize nursery, Amberpet (Hyderabad). The parental lines, testers and crosses were evaluated at two diverse locations of Kashmir valley viz, Lamoo and Wadura in RBD with three replications at each location. Analysis of variance for detection of epistasis revealed significant epistasis as well as its components for all traits except tassel branch number and ear length for which additive interaction was non-significant. The epistasis as well its components interacted significantly with environment except for tassel length where interaction component was non-significant. The estimates of genetic components of variance revealed that both additive and dominance components were significant for all traits except ear diameter where dominance component was non-significant. The correlation between tassel and ear traits revealed strong correlation between tassel branch number and ear height (0.72%) followed by tassel branch number and ear length (0.548), tassel length and tassel weight (0.416). Negative correlation was recorded between tassel length and weight with ear length. Selecting for upright tassel branches may compensate for yield reduction without comprising on tassel size to ensure sufficient pollen availability, especially in hybrid seed production and stress environments. © 2007 Asian Network for Scientific Information.