GENETIC CONTROL OF DROUGHT TOLERANCE IN TWO MAIZE HYBRIDS

doi:10.12816/ejpb.2024.388860

GENETIC CONTROL OF DROUGHT TOLERANCE IN TWO MAIZE HYBRIDS

Document Type : Original research

10.12816/ejpb.2024.388860

Abstract

This study delved into the genetic control and inheritance of physiological and quantitative traits in six populations (P₁, P₂, F₁, F₂, BC₁ and BC₂) of two maize hybrids: cross І (Inb.8 x Inb.24) and cross IІ (Inb.86 x Inb.24) under normal (100%IR) and drought (70%IR) treatments. Results revealed that mean squares due to generations were highly significant for all studied traits in the two crosses under the two water regimes. Data also illustrated that at least one of the non-allelic interactions is significant or highly significant for all the studied traits either in Cross І or in Cross П under the two water treatments. Through generation mean analysis, we identified significant additive and non-additive gene effects for trait inheritance in varying water regimes. Heritability estimates ranged from low to moderate in a narrow sense and moderate to high in a broad sense in the two crosses under both treatments, indicating the substantial influence of non-additive gene effects. The expected genetic advance for the studied traits were found to be moderate to high with values which ranged from 7.73% for chlorophyll content at 100%IR in cross I to 72.66% for grain yield/plant at drought stress conditions in cross II. Our findings provide valuable insights for maize breeding programs targeting enhanced grain yield and drought tolerance.

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