EPISTASIS IN THE VARIETY, VARIETAL CROSS, COMPOSITE VARIETY AND SYNTHETIC OF MAIZE

Abstract

Epistatic effects are derived for the open-pollinated variety, the variety cross, the variety composite and the synthetic variety in maize (Zea mays L.), according to the Holland method. In this paper 2 loci and 2 alleles in each locus are considered. Comparisons showed that yield in the variety cross is higher than in the variety, and that yield in the composite variety is higher than in the synthetic. These results are mainly attributed to a higher amount of epistatic dominant heterozygous effects in the variety cross and the variety composite, as well as to the epistatic interactions whenever they are involved.