Genetics of traits associated with aluminum tolerance in corn (Zea mays L.) and their correlation with yield and other agronomic character
2008
Baldo, N.B., Central Mindanao Univ., Musuan, Bukidnon (Philippines) | Salazar, A.M. | Carpena, A.L. | Hernandez, J.E. | Laurena, A.C. | Cardenas, L.B., Philippines Univ. Los Banos, College, Laguna (Philippines)
Aluminum (Al) toxicity is a prevalent problem in acidic soils. Understanding the genetics of corn performance under this stress is vital in formulating appropriate breeding strategies to develop varieties tolerant to this kind of stress. Ten white and nine yellow inbred lines were subjected to diallel analysis and a set of crosses each for white and yellow inbreds to generation mean analysis to determine the genetics of aluminum tolerance in corn. Generated materials were evaluated under acidic and normal environment in pot and field conditions. Parameters on seedling characters were then correlated to yield and other agronomic traits. Results revealed that seedling characters related to Al tolerance were found to have significant GCA and SCA effects. Likewise, yield, days to anthesis, days to silk and ear heights were also found to be mostly significant for both yellow and white inbreds and their crosses. Correlation analysis revealed that root weight was the only seedling trait positively and significantly correlated to yield (r=0.17). This result could be useful for early plant growth screening for tolerance to soil acidity. Generation mean analysis revealed that additive and dominance effects as well as epistatic effect plays an important role in the inheritance of all seedling characters evaluated for Al tolerance in both white and yellow inbreds. With such results, breeding method that exploits both additive and non-additive effects, like reciprocal recurrent selection could be effective in improving corn productivity under acidic growing environment.
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