GENETIC DIVERSITY FOR HEAT TOLERANT RELATED TRAITS IN MAIZE INBRED LINES
Abstract
The present investigation was carried out at research field of National Maize Research Program (NMRP), Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal during February to June 2016. The objective of this investigation was to estimate genetic variability and identify suitable maize inbred lines under heat stress condition. Twenty maize inbred lines were evaluated in alpha lattice design with two replications under normal and plastic house condition. Several secondary traits, namely yield attributes such as - ears per plant, cob length, cob diameter, number of kernels row-1, number of kernel rows cob-1, number of kernel ear-1, shelling percentage, thousand kernel weight and morpho physiological traits such as anthesis silking interval, plant height, ear height, silk receptivity, leaf senescence, tassel blast, leaf area index and leaf firing exhibited significant genotypic and phenotypic association with grain yield under heat stress. Maize inbred lines RL-140, RML-76, RML-91 and RML-40 were exhibited shorter anthesis silking interval, lowest value of tassel blast, leaf firing, and leaf area index with highest value of cob diameter and length, ear per plant, number of kernel row ear-1, number of kernel ear-1 and number of kernel row-1,shelling percentage, silk receptivity and grain yield in heat stress condition.High heritability along with genetic advance as well as significant positive correlation with grain yield recorded for traits grain yield with number of kernel ear-1, silk receptivity, shelling percentage, and thousand kernel weight indicates presence of additive gene effect early selection and could be used as target traits to improve maize grain yield under heat stress condition. But significant negative association grain yield as well as moderate heritability with low genetic advance for traits anthesis silking interval, tassel blast, leaf firing and leaf area index showed significant negative association with grain yield, and these traits could be improved through the use of hybridization and hybrid vigour.Therefore maize inbred lines RML-91, RL-140, RML-76 and RML-40 were can be used for development of hybrid for heat stress condition.
Copyright (c) 2018 Kandel Manoj, Surya Kant Ghimire, Bishnu Raj Ojha, Jiban Shrestha

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