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Application of Recurrent Selection for Low Grain Moisture Content at Harvest in Tropical Maize
Author(s) -
Hawbaker M. S.,
Hill W. H.,
Goodman M. M.
Publication year - 1997
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/cropsci1997.0011183x003700050040x
Subject(s) - germplasm , biology , temperate climate , agronomy , population , poaceae , water content , hybrid , tropics , grain yield , moisture , botany , ecology , geography , demography , geotechnical engineering , sociology , meteorology , engineering
Late maturity and high grain moisture content at harvest have been major limitations to the use of tropical maize ( Zea mays L.) germplasm in temperate regions. The objective of this study was to determine if selection for reduced grain moisture content at harvest in a tropical maize population indirectly influenced grain yield potential. Two hundred sixteen temperately‐adapted S 4 lines were derived in 1991 at Raleigh, NC, from Cycle 9 of recurrent phenotypic selection for reduced grain moisture at harvest in the tropical maize population TROPHY, and these were testcrossed in 1992 at Raleigh, NC, to the temperate hybrid B73 Ht × Mo17 Ht . Selected subsets of these testcrosses were evaluated for their agronomic potential in seven environments over two years, and their performance was compared with that of Cycle 0 S 0 testcrosses as well as three public and three commercial F 1 hybrids. Selected Cycle 9 S 4 testcrosses had higher mean grain yield (7.14 Mg ha ‒1 ) and lower mean grain moisture at harvest (184 g kg −1 ) than the Cycle 0 So testcrosses (6.77 Mg ha −1 , and 189 g kg −1 respectively). The highest yielding Cycle 9 S 4 testcrosses were comparable to the commercial hybrid LH132 × LH51. This study supported the conclusion that ergonomically competitive inbred lines with acceptable grain moisture content at harvest can be derived from 100% tropical germplasm.