PRODUCTIVE CHARACTERIZATION OF LANDRACE MAIZE FOR FORAGE USE IN THE LOWER PAPALOAPAN BASIN

Abstract

The objective of this research was to evaluate the morphological and growth characters, as well as the yield of green forage of maize landraces from Loma Bonita, Oaxaca, Mexico. The genotypes were five maize landraces and an improved variety used as control, which were evaluated by means of a randomized complete block design with four replications. The growth of the genotypes were evaluated with 12 samplings done weekly. The traits evaluated in the field were plant height (cm), leaf area (cm²), chlorophyll content (SPAD units) and 21 morphological components of the plant were evaluated in the laboratory, which the most important were leaf weight (g), stem weight (cm), tender or fresh-ear weight (g), rows and diameter of freshear (cm), weight of spikes (g) and forage yield (t ha^-1). Analysis of variance and a comparison of means (Tukey, P ≤ 0.05) were carried out for variables that showed significant statistically differences. Results indicated that landrace PINSB (52.0 t ha^-1) and NLBO (50.2 t ha^-1) exceeded to VS-536 in forage yield (34.6 t ha^-1), because of they had higher plant height, stem diameter and foliar area per plant. Nevertheless, landraces did not exceeded the control VS-536 in grain yield, rows, grains and diameter of fresh-ear, and chlorophyll content on leaves.