YIELD AND QUALITY OF TUXPEÑO V-520C MAIZE ADAPTED THROUGH MASS SELECTION TO HIGHLANDS, MEXICO

Abstract

In the State of Mexico, as in other rainfed regions of the Mexican republic, farmers prefer native maize (Zea mays L.) seed for its adaptation to rainfed conditions and its characteristics for nixtamal processing and making tortillas. The objective of this study was to evaluate yield, grain quality and the elaboration of nixtamal and tortilla of the Tuxpeño V-520C variety adapted to highlands through visual mass selection (VMS) using cycles C0, C14, C19 and Compuesto Universal of the Chalqueño race, as a control, in the State of Mexico. Three experiments were carried out in three environments with a randomized complete block design with three replications. Yield and quality characteristics of the grain and tortilla elaborated under the traditional method were evaluated. Analysis of variance and comparison of Tukey means (P ≤ 0.05) between genotypes were performed. Significance (P ≤ 0.05) was found among environments, genotypes and in genotype-by-environment interaction for most of the traits. The VMS increased adaptation to highlands. Tuxpeño V-520C maize increased yield up to 67 % (C0 = 1.46 vs. C19 = 4.46 t ha^-1) and improved the quality of grain and tortilla as the VMS progressed. The Tuxpeño C19 maize adapted to highlands showed the lowest flotation index (41, being the hardest), the highest test weight (75.5 kg hL^-1) and the highest tortilla yield (1.42 kg kg^-1 of grain), which were also softer in texture compared to the control. Maize of C19 could represent an alternative for producers and industries, since it has the best quality characteristics of grain for nixtamalization and tortilla.