Variation in the photoperiodic response on several characters in soybean,Glycine max (L.) Merrill

Summary The photoperiodic response on 12 characters in 40 soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merrill, cultivars were investigated using 10-hour (short day) and 16-hour (long day) photoperiods. Seventeen cultivars showed no significant difference between photoperiods for all 12 characters. Seven cultivars showed significant difference for only one trait. Phenotypic changes in 17 cultivars may be due to factors other than photoperiod. Number of pods per plant, days to maturity, and number of nodes per plant were highly correlated with yield per plant in both photoperiods. Invariably, the cultivars which had significant differences in the numbers of flowers produced per plant between the two photoperiods also had significant differences in the numbers of pods per plant and yield. First node to flower, plant height at flowering, days to flowering, nodes at flowering, and the 100-seed weight were least influenced by the photoperiods in most of the cultivars, while the height at maturity, number of nodes at maturity, number of days to maturity, and yield were most influenced.AVRDC Journal paper 46 (78–88).     

The application of Mahalanobis's generalized distance to measure genetic divergence in Durum wheat

Summary Mahalanobis's generalized distance analysis of days to flowering, days to physiological maturity, height, lodging, and grain yield data pertaining to ten cultivars of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum) revealed no association between genetic divergence and geographic origin. The analysis, however, succeeded in differentiating between those cultivars of tropical origin adapted to short daylength and those of temperate origin requiring longer days. The influence of the characters studied in assigning cultivars to particular groups varied from cultivar to cultivar.Contribution No 304 of the Plant Science Department, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada.     

Effect of maturity on competitive ability in soybeans

Summary The effect of maturity on competitive ability in two cultivars of soybeans (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) was evaluated. Maturity dates within a genotype were simulated by removing half the plants from pure stands at end of flowering and twice later at approximately weekly intervals. Simulation of the early maturity of an equal competitor gave a significant competitive advantage to the late genotype only 2 out of 15 times. The average effect from simulation of earlier maturity within the genotype was statistically significant, but small, especially since the assumed difference in physiological maturity was 27 days. Most genotypic difference in competitive ability probably are due to characteristics other than maturity.Approved by the Director as a contribution from the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station (Journal Series No. 7877).     

Transferability of Chickpea Selection Indices from Normal to Drought-prone Growing Conditions in a Mediterranean Environment*

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is normally grown as a spring-sown rainfed crop in the Mediterranean region in areas receiving more than 400 mm of rainfall annually. Because of large fluctuations in the total amount and distribution of the rainfall, the crop occasionally suffers from extreme terminal drought. Breeders face a dilemma in selecting materials for both normal moisture regimes and drought conditions because it is often difficult to conduct two parallel breeding programmes. This study examines the transferability of the selection indices (developed as a multiple regression of yield on most influential traits) from one environment to another with the objective of selecting an appropriate environment for the development of cultivars adapted to both environments. Experiments were conducted for 3 years (1989-1991) during the spring at two locations with normal moisture regime (hereafter referred to as drought-free) in Syria and Lebanon and one drought-prone location in Syria. Each year, 192-240 newly bred lines were evaluated in replicated trials for seed yield, days to flowering and maturity, plant height and 100-seed weight. Correlation analyses showed that increased seed size, early maturity and reduced plant height at the drought-prone location and early maturity at the drought-free location were of prime importance in increasing seed yield. Regression equations developed to predict seed yield showed that days to flower and maturity accounted from 67-80 % variation in seed yield at the dry location, whereas at the drought-free locations the contribution of days to maturity was smaller except in 1991 in Lebanon. The percent success in the transferability of the selection indices from the drought-free environments to the drought-prone environment was higher than that from the drought-prone environment to the drought-free environment. These results indicate that chickpea breeding material developed under drought-free environments could be useful under drought-prone conditions. Early-maturing lines selected under normal environments would also perform well under drier conditions.     

Morpho-physiological traits to complement grain yield selection under semi-arid Mediterranean conditions in each of the durum wheat types mediterraneum typicum and syriacum

Summary Some 238 landraces from Algeria and Tunisia representative of the mediterraneum typicum durum wheat type and 265 landraces from Syria and Jordan representing the syriacum type were grown in a semi-arid Mediterranean environment of Northern Syria characterized by moderate drought stress. The germplasm types were compared for mean value, level of variation and relationships with grain yield of various morpho-physiological traits possibly usable for indirect selection of best yielding materials. The syriacum germplasm showed higher yield mainly due to greater earliness of cycle, slightly longer grain filling period, shorter stature, lower early growth vigour and higher drought tolerance expressed by a visual score recorded in another, more stressful environment in the region. It also showed lower variation for all morpho-physiological characters except plant glaucousness, for which it was more variable. The wheat types differed not only for architecture but also for optima of individual morpho-physiological traits required to maximize the yield response in the given environment. Higher yield of syriacum materials was attained at same heading and three to four days delayed maturity with respect to average phenology of three well-adapted control cultivars, and it was favoured by increasing number of kernels per spike, early vigour and drought tolerance. Higher yield of mediterraneum typicum landraces was related to heading and maturity dates approaching those of the control cultivars and to increasing kernel weight, early vigour and drought tolerance. Plant stature hardly affected the yield. Both absent and strong glaucousness could confer a yield advantage in syriacum materials.     

Heritability and predicted gain from selection in components of crop duration in divergent chickpea cross populations

Genetic analysis of ten quantitative traits related to crop duration in chickpea was carried out using three F ₂ sib-populations; 272-2 × CDC Anna, 298T-9 × CDC Anna and 298T-9 × CDC Frontier. F ₃ and F ₄ families from these populations were further evaluated for traits found important in the initial study. Also, 112 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) of chickpea cross ICCV 2 × JG 62 were evaluated for days to flowering, days to maturity and reproductive period. An analysis of the F ₂ population data using the mixed model approach revealed that the additive component of variance was significant for days to flowering, days to first podding and days to first pod maturity, while dominance genetic variance was significant for morphological components of crop duration such as height to first pod and height at flowering. Comparatively high heritability estimates (39–48%) were obtained for days to flowering, days to first pod maturity, percent pod maturity at four months after planting and days to maturity based on offspring-parent (F ₄ and F ₃ generations) regression and/or analysis of variance for the RIL population. The predicted gain from selection as a percentage of the population mean was low (5% or less) for these key components of crop duration owing to the low variability detected within the populations, the exception being percent pod maturity. To maximize gain from selection in these traits, it is therefore, essential to increase genetic variability among the progenies, potentially through multi-parent crosses that may involve gene introgression from across desi and kabuli types of chickpea and from wild progenitors.     

Characterization of genotype by environment interactions in soybean breeding programmes of southeast Europe

Southeast Europe is Europe's major production area of soybean of maturity groups (MG) 0, I and II, but genotype by environment interaction (GEI) for soybean traits in this region is still not characterized. The objective of this study was to characterize GEI in soybean grown in Croatia for seed yield, protein and oil content. Fourteen soybean cultivars of MG 0 and I were evaluated at 15 environments. In the combined anova , genotypes, environments and GEI were significant. All three seed traits were more affected by year than by location and seed yield and protein content were more sensitive to environmental changes than oil content. Genotype by environment interaction is generally of less importance than effects of genotypes and years, especially for oil content. High‐yielding genotypes had values of regression coefficient (b) close to 1, indicating that they were not responsive to extreme environments, either positive or negative. Means and b values were not correlated for yield and negatively correlated for protein and oil content, probably because of low‐input practice in the region. The absence of recognizable differences in means, b values and principal component scores of ammi analysis between two MGs for all traits indicated that soybean cultivars of MG 0 may be recommended for growing in the region because they responded similarly to environmental changes as do full‐season genotypes of MG I.     

Morphological variation of Medicago sativa subsp. falcata genotypes and their hybrid progeny

Semi-hybrid alfalfa cultivars offer the possibility of capturing non-additive genetic variation. Medicago sativa subsp. falcata and subsp.sativa have been shown to form a heterotic pattern for biomass yield. Objectives of this study were to examine morphological variation in a broad range of falcate germplasm and to determine how falcate morphological variation per se is related to the performance of falcate germplasm in hybrid crosses with subsp. sativa. Falcata genotypes from 40 populations spanning the subspecies native range were selected and biomass yield, plant width, plant height, growth angle, biomass density, plant maturity, and regrowth after cutting were measured on the genotypes and their hybrid progeny three times throughout the growing season. In addition weekly plant heights were measured and growth rates were determined with a Gompertz function. Falcata parental genotypes exhibited a full range of phenotypes for plant width, plant height, growth angle, density, and maturity. Heterosis was not only observed for biomass yield but also for plant width, plant height, and more erect growth habit. The top yielding sativa-falcata hybrids had increased plant width, plant height, and plant density. European germplasm was taller and had faster regrowth than Asian material. Sativa-falcata hybrids produced biomass yield superior to the mid-subspecies mean only after two to three weeks of growth prior to first and third harvests. Prior to second harvest, biomass production was inferior to the mid-subspecies mean for 30 days. Hybrids using falcata as one parent are not currently adapted to intensive harvest management due to their slower regrowth. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Genetic basis of pod borer (Helicoverpa armigera) resistance and grain yield in desi and Kabuli Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) under unprotected conditions

A series of half-diallel crosses involving early, medium and late maturity desi and kabuli type chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genotypes with stable resistance to Helicoverpa pod borer, along with the parents, were evaluated at two locations in India to understand the inheritance of pod borer resistance and grain yield. Inheritance of resistance to pod borer and grain yield was different in desi and kabuli types. In desi type chickpea, the additive component of genetic variance was important in early maturity and dominance component was predominant in medium maturity group, while in the late maturity group, additive as well as dominance components were equally important in the inheritance of pod borer resistance. Both dominant and recessive genes conferring pod borer resistance seemed equally frequent in the desi type parental lines of medium maturity group. However, dominant genes were in overall excess in the parents of early and late maturity groups. In the kabuli medium maturity group, parents appeared to be genetically similar, possibly due to dispersion of genes conferring pod borer resistance and susceptibility, while their F₁s were significantly different for pod borer damage. The association of genes conferring pod borer resistance and susceptibility in the parents could be attributed to the similarity of parents as well as their F₁s for pod borer damage in kabuli early and late maturity groups. Grain yield was predominantly under the control of dominant gene action irrespective of the maturity groups in desi chickpea. In all the maturity groups, dominant and recessive genes were in equal frequency among the desi parental lines. Dominant genes, which tend to increase or decrease grain yield are more or less present in equal frequency in parents of the early maturity group, while in medium and late maturity groups, they were comparatively in unequal frequency in desi type. Unlike in desi chickpea, differential patterns of genetic components were observed in kabuli chickpea. While the dominant genetic component was important in early and late maturity group, additive gene action was involved in the inheritance of grain yield in medium duration group in kabuli chickpea. The dominant and recessive genes controlling grain yield are asymmetrically distributed in early and medium maturity groups in kabuli chickpea. The implications of the inheritance pattern of pod borer resistance and grain yield are discussed in the context of strategies to enhance pod borer resistance and grain yield in desi and kabuli chickpea cultivars.     

Relationship of plant height and days to maturity with resistance to spot blotch in wheat

A total of 1,407 spring wheat (T. aestivum) lines of Indian and CIMMYT (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre, Mexico) origin were evaluated for plant height, days to maturity and resistance to spot blotch (caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana) during the 1994–95, 1995–96 and 1996–97 crop seasons. The frequency distribution of genotypes, based on disease score ignoring the growth stages, differed from the distribution in which disease score was assessed on a similar growth stage. Two crosses each,between `tall resistant × dwarf susceptible' and `late resistant × early susceptible' genotypes, were made. The evaluation of homozygous resistant lines in the F₃, F₄ and F₅ generations of both crosses showed a wide range of plant height and days to maturity. These lines showed significant differences for plant height and days to maturity but did not show a significant difference for AUDPC values of spot blotch. The correlation coefficients for AUDPC versus plant height or days to maturity were weak, i.e., – 0.336 and 0.061, respectively. Results indicated that resistance to spot blotch severity was independent of plant height and days to maturity in progenies from these crosses.     

Spatial variability of salt-affected soils in the middle Ebro Valley (Spain) and implications in plant breeding for increased productivity

Barley breeding programs have empirically selected for improving grain yield and quality. The objective of this study was to quantify genetic gains in yield in 2-rowed malting barley cultivars released from 1944to 1998 in Argentina, identifying the major physiological traits responsible for them. For this purpose, a field experiment was conducted in absence of biotic and abiotic stressful factors and with lodging being prevented mechanically. Until the 1970's,potential yield was maintained nearly constant at 5.25 mg ha^-1 and since then it increased at a rate of 41 kg ha^-1 year^-1. That bi-linear trend was closely related to the trend of averaged yields obtained by farmers. The contribution made by breeding yield potential to the total yield gains achieved by farmers was estimated in c. One third. Neither time to heading nor time to maturity were systematically modified by breeding. However, the partitioning of the developmental time was modified: time to achieve both maximum number of floret primordia and length of the jointing –heading period were increased with the year of release of the cultivars. The main component associated with yield was the number of grains per m², due to variations in number of spikes per m².Total and vegetative biomass at maturity increased with the year of release of the cultivars, at a rate of 45 and 19 kg ha^-1 year^-1, while both harvest index and stem height remained virtually unmodified. Differences in biomass at heading among cultivars were related to the improvement on the abilities to capture more radiation. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Comparative study on growth and development of some accessions of local Germplasm of Bambara groundnut (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Vigna subterrenea</Emphasis> L. Verdc.) of Nigeria in two cropping seasons

Two field experiments were conducted in April (early cropping) and August, (late cropping) 2007 at the Department of Crop Science Research Farm, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, to evaluate the agronomic and yield attributes of 13 cultivars of bambara groundnut. The results obtained showed that planting dates had significant effects (P < 0.05) on all traits measured. Significant cultivar and cultivar x planting date interaction effects were observed for days to 50% flowering. The principal component analysis showed that the first three components accounted for 85.18 and 86.81% of the total variation in the early and late planting, respectively. The traits representing the cultivars along the first principal axis were number of pods per plant and seed weight per plant for the early planting and number of leaves per plant and seed weight per plant in the late planting. Cultivars were differentiated on the basis of number of flowers per plant and plant height for the early planting and days to emergence for the late planting along the second principal axis. The cluster plot revealed that the 13 bambara groundnut cultivars were grouped into three clusters at both the early and late planting dates. In the early planting, the cultivars in cluster I are associated with high number of flowers, number of pods, and plant height, while cluster II cultivars flowered earlier and had good pod and seed yield. However, cluster III cultivars performed poorly in all the traits evaluated. During the late planting, the cluster I comprised early flowering cultivars while cluster II comprised cultivars with good vegetative growth, high number of pods per plant and seed weight per plant. Cluster III cultivars are early emerging and early flowering but have poor seed yield. The correlation coefficient for seed weight per plant was highly significant and positive with number of leaves per plant, plant height, number of flowers per plant and number of pods per plant indicating that increase in these traits will ultimately increase seed weight per plant. Thus, these traits could be considered as major seed yield contributing traits that could be given significant recognition during selection.     

Effects of Temperature and Photoperiod on Days to Flowering, Yield and Yield Components of Lupinus albus (L.) under Field Conditions

A better understanding of the agronomic importance of planting date and the influence of cold temperatures and photoperiod during germination and plant growth may lead to better management strategies for cultivation of the sweet white lupin (Lupinus albus). The effects of planting date (temperature and photoperiod) were determined on the number of days to flowering, yield and yield components of four early to medium and one late sweet white lupin genotype in a field trial at Potchefstroom, South Africa, planted during February 1996 to January 1997. Moisture stress was avoided through regular irrigation. Duration of the developmental phases planting date to emergence, emergence to floral initiation, initiation to first flower, duration of flower and days to physiological and harvest maturity was related to field measurements of temperature and photoperiod. Differences in the main determinants of yield, i.e. seeds per pod, pods per plant, single seed mass (SSM), plant and pod height and yield, were measured. Results showed that both temperature and photoperiod influence the growth and development of the Lupinus albus genotypes ‘Esta’, ‘Hantie’, ‘Tifwhite’, ‘Kiev’ and ‘LAL 186’. Temperature influences include the effect of vernalization at seedling emergence. Minimum grass temperatures under 5 °C at emergence are effective for vernalization. However, after grass temperatures at emergence increased again from June to December, to gether with an increase in the photoperiod length, ‘Tifwhite’ as well as the other genotypes still flowered earlier, confirming that these cultivars are long‐day plants, which is in accordance with controlled‐environment data. Cool vernalizing temperatures thus not only influence obligate vernalization requiring genotypes such as ‘Tifwhite’, but also influence the non‐obligate genotypes studied. Plan‐ting date had a significant influence on pods per plant, single seed mass (SSM) and seed yield. In all trials laterplanting, from June to November, decreased SSM and seed yield. The highest seed yield of 1.5 t ha^?1 was obtained for the 10 June planting date and the lowest average yield of 0.450 t ha^?1 for the 5 November planting date.     

Comparison of near-isogenic lines for anthracnoseAre are genes in common bean,Phaseolus vulgaris L.

Summary This study was undertaken to determine whether the Are gene controlling anthracnose resistance had an adverse effect on maturity and yield because backcross-derived cultivars/lines had numerically lower yield and later maturity than the respective recurrent parent. Three pairs of common bean lines near-isogenic for theAre gene were developed fromAre are F₂ plants of the sixth backcross of Seafarer, Fleetwood, and Ex Rico 23. The near-isogenic lines were tested along with the recurrent cultivars and backcross-derived cultivars/lines. The results showed no evidence of any adverse effect of theAre gene on the agronomic characteristics in 11 trails at 5 locations in 3 years.     

Genetics of grain yield and other agronomic characters in t'ef (Eragrostis tef Zucc Trotter). II. The triple test cross

The normal and selfed families of the triple test cross were employed to detect gene action in t'ef for grain yield and other useful agronomic characters in the breeding programme. Cultivars Kay Murri and Fesho were used as L₁ and L₂ testers, respectively. Eight randomly selected cultivars and two released varieties (DZ-01-354 and DZ-01-196) were crossed with the testers L₁, L₂ and L₃ (the F₁ of L₁ × L₂). In the case of the selfed families, 14 cultivars and two released varieties were used for crossing with the testers. The normal families were grown on an Inceptisol developed from volcanic ash whilst the selfed families were grown on a pellic Vertisol at the Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Centre, Ethiopia. The rainfall during the experimental season was 463 mm. Epistasis was detected for grain yield, yield per panicle, panicle weight, plant weight, harvest index, tiller number, panicle length, culm diameter, days to heading and days to maturity in the normal families of the triple test cross (TTC) of t'ef. Similarly the characters grain yield, yield per panicle, panicle weight, plant height, panicle length, days to heading and days to maturity showed epistasis in the selfed families of the TTC. Epistatic interaction was not important for shoot biomass and for harvest index (for the transformed data) in this family. Therefore, both the normal and selfed families of the TTC were in agreement with regard to detecting epistasis for grain yield, yield per panicle, panicle weight, panicle length, days to heading and days to maturity. Significant additive (D) and dominance (H) components were estimated for the characters in both families, although the magnitudes might have been inflated due to epistasis. The dominance component for panicle length was unimportant in both families of the TTC and as a result the additive components were not biased. In general, the additive, dominance and epistatic components were important in t'ef. Since the crop is self-fertilized only the additive and additive × additive terms are important to develop pure breeding varieties. Therefore, selection for superior segregants should start in advanced generations as homozygosity increases. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Genetic analysis of quantitative traits across environments in linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.)

Summary Fourteen lines of linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) were evaluated for general and specific combining ability through line × tester cross analysis using five diverse testers in two different environments. Seventy F₁'s and nineteen parental genotypes were raised in completely randomized block design with two replications with respect to yield and yield related traits. Considerable genetic variation was observed for all the traits studied. The additive as well as non-additive gene effects played significant role in the inheritance of yield and related traits with preponderance of non-additive gene effects for all the traits studied. Higher proportion of general combining ability × environment interaction variance as compared to specific combining ability × environment estimates was recorded. Additive genetic variances were more sensitive than non-additive genetic variances to the changing environment. Low estimates of heritability (narrow sense) for primary branches per plant, capsules per plant, seeds per capsule, seed yield per plant, harvest index and oil content and medium heritability for days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, plant height and 1000-seed weight was observed. Among the female parents LCK-9816, Parvati, Himalini, KL-168 were good general combiners for yield and related traits along with oil content, whereas among male parents, Surbhi and KL-224 were good general combiners for yield related traits and oil content but KL-221 was good general combiner for seed yield and related traits.     

Implications of selecting improved strains of soybeans for dry-matter accumulation and grain yield

Summary Three maturity groups of soybeans (Glycine max L.) were used to investigate the relationship between dry-matter accumulation (DMA) and grain yield (GY), and the prospects for selection of high seed yielding strains among the existing soybean cultivars in a tropical environment. The positive and significant association between DMA and GY (r=0.888^***) indicated that selection for high DMA could give gains in GY. However, the higher harvest index (HI=37.5%) for the low seed yielding early maturing genotypes than the more vegetatively endowed and higher seed producing late maturity group, is an indication that excessive DMA could be disadvantageous. Total seed yield per land area for the three maturity groups of soybeans showed that the genotypes with high harvest index and low seed yield could be as good as those ones with high seed and dry-matter yields with low harvest index. The high coefficient of variation which ranged between 18.1 and 59.8% and the heritability estimations which also ranged from 34.4 to 82.2% are indicative of the presence of substantial genetic diversity and there are good prospects for the improvement of the crop through selection.     

Variation and association analysis in coriander

Summary Two hundred genotypes of Coriandrum sativum L. exhibited genetic variation for plant height, primary and effective branches, days to flowering and maturity, umbels and umbellets per plant, grains per umbellet, thousand seed weight, straw yield and grain yield per plant and harvest index. Heritability estimates were high for days to flowering, thousand seed weight and days to maturity; moderate for plant height, straw yield, umbels per plant, umbellets per plant and number of primary branches; and low for harvest index, effective branches, grain yield per plant and grains per umbellet. Phenotypic correlations of grain yield per plant were highly significant and positive with umbellets per plant, umbels per plant, number of effective branches, straw yield per plant, number of primary branches, plant height, number of grains per umbellet and harvest index. Maximum direct contribution to grain yield per plant was made by umbellets per plant, followed by straw yield per plant, umbels per plant and grains per umbellet. Umbellets per plant made sizeable indirect effect via straw yield per plant. Straw yield per plant made sizeable indirect contribution via umbellets per plant.     

Gametocidal properties of RH-531, RH-532, RH-2956, and RH-4667 on spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Summary Several chemicals were evaluated for their gametocidal properties to control pollination in hybrid wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em Thell.) seed production. In a preliminary study, four chemicals were applied to three cultivars of spring wheat at two application times. RH-532 was the most effective of the four gametocides, reducing fertility to a 0 10% level for all three cultivars.In a second experiment, RH-532 was applied to one cytoplasmic male-sterile and three normal spring wheats at four rates (0.56, 1.12, 2.24, and 4.48 kg/ha) and at two times of application. Alternate strips of pollinator were planted throughout the experiment. All treatments decreased fertility. plant height, and spike length of the three normal wheats. RH-532 did not inhibit spike emergence of two semidwarf cultivars or one of conventional height. Cultivars did not respond similarly to treatments.Yields of cross-pollinated seed were only 1 21% of the normal yield when fertility levels on treated plants reached 0 10%. Hybrid seed content of the harvested seed ranged from 2 55%. On the treated male-sterile line, yield was significantly reduced in comparison with the open-pollinated check. Inhibitory properties of this chemical suppressed the fertilization potential of the female as well as inducing male sterility.The differential response of genotypes to treatments indicates that cultivars should be screened for male and female sensitivity to this chemical. If differential sensitivity is found, breeding and selection to improve this trait may be possible. Different environmental conditions may alter the response of cultivars to this chemical, with less effect on the female structures.Published with the approval of the Director, North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station, as journal article No 71a.     

Differences in reciprocal crosses of maize inbred lines diverse for protein content

Summary Forty-two crosses and their reciprocals in maize (Zea mays L.) involving inbred lines highly diverse for protein content were evaluated in four environments. Data were recorded on crude protein content of grain, protein yield, grain yield, 1000 kernel weight, dry matter content of ear at harves,, days to 50% slking, plant height, ear height, and early vigor. No significant variation due to reciprocal differences was observed for protein content and early vigor. For all other traits the variance component due to reciprocal x environment interactions was significant while the variance component due to reciprocal differences was significant only for kernel weight, dry matter content of ear, plant height, and ear height. The variance components due to nuclear differences and their interactions with environments were always highly significant and larger than the components due to reciprocal differences and reciprocal x environment interactions. The instability and low magnitude of reciprocal differences indicated that it might be difficult to exploit them commercially. However, seeing the presence of reciprocal differences for most of the traits studied, the evaluation of breeding materials for these differences seems to be important.The research work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Sonderforschungsbereich 142.