Evaluation of Inbred Lines and Development of Turcicum Leaf Blight Resistant Single Cross Maize Hybrids

Turcicum leaf blight (TLB) is the most important disease of maize growing areas of India. To identify new resistance sources and establish durability of known resistance sources, 30 maize inbred lines were evaluated against TLB under artificial inoculation during kharif 2013 and kharif 2014. Ten inbred lines were found resistant against TLB. Based on per se performance and resistance to TLB nine inbred lines viz., DMIT 105, DMIT 106, DMIT 111, DMIT 113, DMIT 118, DMIT 121, DMIT 123, DMIT 124 and DMIT 125 were used to develop 36 single cross hybrids and were screened to identify resistant hybrids. Thirty two hybrids were found resistant with disease score 1 and 2. Based on percent disease index (PDI) and area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) values, the components of blighting, inbred lines viz., DMIT 105, DMIT 113, DMIT 118 and DMIT 126 and hybrids viz., DMIT 105 × DMIT 125, DMIT 106 × DMIT 111, DMIT 106 × DMIT 121, DMIT 106 × DMIT 125, DMIT 111 × DMIT 113, DMIT 111 × DMIT 121, DMIT 113 × DMIT 118, DMIT 113 × DMIT 121, DMIT 113 × DMIT 125, DMIT 118 × DMIT 121, DMIT 118 × DMIT 124 and DMIT 121 × DMIT 123 were identified as slow blighters. These hybrids should be involved in the crop improvement programmes.