CHARACTERIZATION OF MAIZE ACCESSIONS BY GRAIN AND TORTILLA QUALITY TRAITS

Abstract

The genetic diversity of different racial groups has mainly been studied in terms of plant characteristics as well as physiological and
agronomic traits, but few studies have taken into account the final food uses and the quality traits. In the present study 86 maize (Zea
mays L.) accessions were classified based on kernel characteristics and in the quality of the tortillas they produced. The usefulness of these factors in distinguishing one genotype from another was also explored. The 86 maize accessions represented 45 races and five different racial groups. Grain characteristics (size, length, width, thickness, specific gravity, weight of one thousand kernels, and hardness) and tortilla quality (water absorption capacity, weight loss, masa and tortilla yield) were measured. A significant association (P≤0.05) was found within the different race groups for both grain characteristics and tortilla quality, indicating that these are useful factors for distinguishing among different maize accessions. Principal component analysis allowed us to differentiate racial patterns, thus suggestings that tortilla quality traits, despite a wide genetic variation, may contribute to additional accession characterization. An association was also found between the different accession groups and their final food use, corroborating the usefulness of both sets of factors in the germplasm characterization.