GENETIC CONTRIBUTION OF JALA LANDRACE TO GREEN CORN VARIETIES

Abstract

Native Jala maize (Zea mays L.) race has quality attributes for consumption as green corn; however, it also possess some undesirable agronomic traits such as tall and late plants and poor adaptability. To contribute in the utilization of advantageous green ear characteristics of Jala maize in development of improved varieties, its combining ability was analized for green corn characteristics when Jala is crossed with commercial varieties. The study was carried out in Xalisco, Nayarit, México using green-ear producing varieties as parents: three commercial hybrids (‘A7573’, ‘B810’ and ‘D880’) dialed with three maize landraces (Jala, Mecatán and Morado). All dialled combinations were obtained in 2006, following the Griffing is Method I, and were field evaluated during 2007 in two sowing dates. Analysis of variance detected significance (P ≤ 0.05) on green ear yield (Rend), total number of grains (NG) per ear, number of rows in the ear (NH), weight of 200 fresh green grains (PF200), days to silking (DF), total solid solutes content (SST), shelf-life (VA), and ear diameter (DE). General combining ability (GCA) was significant in all traits (P ≤ 0.05), except Rend, where specific combining ability (SCA) was more relevant. Significant traits for SCA were SST, VA and DF. Reciprocal effects were significant for Rend, SST NH, PF200 and VA. Additive effects were more important than non-additive ones; therefore, recurrent selection methods are more appropriate for the development of improved green corn open-pollinated varieties. Jala maize can contribute favorable genetic effects for developing improved green corn varieties or hybrids.