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Stability of Hybrids Produced from Selected and Unselected Lines of Maize 1
Author(s) -
Gama Elto E. G.,
Hallauer A. R.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.76
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1435-0653
pISSN - 0011-183X
DOI - 10.2135/cropsci1980.0011183x002000050019x
Subject(s) - hybrid , biology , zea mays , linear regression , grain yield , yield (engineering) , gene–environment interaction , poaceae , horticulture , agronomy , zoology , mathematics , statistics , genetics , genotype , physics , gene , thermodynamics
Interpopulation and intrapopulation single‐cross hybrids of maize ( Zea mays L.) produced from selected and unselected lines were compared [or grain yield productivity and stability. Selected lines were chosen from paired plant interpopulation crosses tested from S 0 ✕ S 0 through S 4 ✕ S 4 generations, whereas unselected lines were derived by single‐seed descent from the S 0 plants. Our objective was to compare relative stability of grain yield among hybrids produced from selected and unselected lines. Mean grain yield and stability analysis of variance, which included linear regression coefficient (b l ) and deviations from the regression (s d 2 ), were used to determine relative stability of the single‐cross hybrids. Simple correlation coefficients among mean grain yield, b l , and s d 2 also were determined. Hybrids of selected lines produced significantly greater grain yield than did hybrids of unselected lines. Significant hybrid‐environment interactions were detected for both groups of hybrids, and both groups had similar contributions to total hybrid‐environment variances. Hybrids of selected and unselected lines had significantly different regression coefficients, as indicated by the hybrid‐environment (linear) mean squares. Both groups hybrids had similar number of stable hybrids when both stability parameters (b l and s d 2 ) were considered. Simple correlations between mean yield and b l and mean yield and s d 2 for both groups of hybrids were highly significant (P ⩽ 0.01), but they were not great enough to have predictive value. It seems selection of hybrids for mean yield across environments should be emphasized first, and then the relative stability of the elite hybrids over environments should be determined.