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Correlation and heritability estimates of maize agronomic traits for yield improvement and Striga asiatica (L.) Kuntze tolerance

Year: 2011
Type: article
Abstract: A study was carried out to estimate percent heritability and correlation coefficients of desirable maize agronomiccharacters under artificial infestation with Striga lutea. Forty five F1 hybrid maize of varied striga tolerance and their tenparents inbred were evaluated along with two check entries. This was sited in three locations representing differentagro ecologies of south western Nigeria in 1999 cropping season. The results showed high and moderate heritabilityestimates of 94.0 and 40.0 for striga emergence count and striga syndrome rating respectively, while low heritabilityestimates of 13.0, 11.32, 16.0, 5.70 and 16.22% were obtained for tolerance index, days to tasseling, days silking, kernelrows/cob and grain yield respectively. Genotypic correlation coefficients of striga emergence count with maizeagronomic traits were positive and significant, while phenotypic correlation between striga count and other maizeagronomic traits were also positively and significantly correlated, except striga count which was negatively correlatedwith striga syndrome rating. On the other hand, maize ear aspect alone contributed 19.4% to grain yield, while inherentyield loss of 23.0% was estimated if striga is left uncontrolled. Parameter estimates revealed that all striga and maizeagronomic traits were positively associated with grain yield except plant and ear heights under striga infestation.Although, implications of these estimates have been discussed, this study affirmed that genotypic and phenotypiccorrelation coefficients as well as heritability estimates were found suitable as models for yield improvement andselection for S. lutea tolerant genotypes.
DOI: 10.5897/ajps.9000052
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W3128481356
FWCI: 1.51
Cites: 2
Cited by: 18
Related to: 10