Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-qsmjn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-23T09:51:44.578Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Gains in grain yield of released maize (Zea mays L.) cultivars under drought and well-watered conditions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 March 2019

Muhyideen Oyekunle*
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Science, Institute for Agricultural Research, Samaru Ahmadu Bello University, P.M.B. 104, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria
Shehu G. Ado
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Science, Institute for Agricultural Research, Samaru Ahmadu Bello University, P.M.B. 104, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria
Inuwa S. Usman
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Science, Institute for Agricultural Research, Samaru Ahmadu Bello University, P.M.B. 104, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria
Rekiya O. Abdulmalik
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Science, Institute for Agricultural Research, Samaru Ahmadu Bello University, P.M.B. 104, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria
Hauwa O. Ahmed
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Science, Institute for Agricultural Research, Samaru Ahmadu Bello University, P.M.B. 104, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria
Lateefat B. Hassan
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Science, Institute for Agricultural Research, Samaru Ahmadu Bello University, P.M.B. 104, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria
Muhammad A. Yahaya
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Science, Institute for Agricultural Research, Samaru Ahmadu Bello University, P.M.B. 104, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria
*
*Corresponding author. Email: moyekunle@abu.edu.ng

Abstract

Maize (Zea mays L.) grain yield is severely constrained by drought and this study was conducted to assess gains in grain yield and other traits of released maize cultivars. Twenty-three maize cultivars plus a check were evaluated under drought and well-watered conditions at Zaria and Kadawa during 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 dry seasons. The 24 cultivars were evaluated using 6 x 4 lattice design with three replications. Genotypes differed significantly for all measured traits except anthesis-silking interval (ASI), husk cover, and number of ears per plant under drought, and ASI, husk cover, and ear aspect under well-watered conditions. Under drought, grain yield ranged from 2251 kg ha−1 for SAMMAZ 31 to 4938 kg ha−1 for SAMMAZ 19, with a genetic gain of 1.93% yr−1. Under well-watered conditions, grain yield varied from 3082 kg ha−1 for SAMMAZ 37 to 5689 kg ha−1 for SAMMAZ 51, with the same genetic gain found under drought conditions. Grain yield reduction as a result of drought was 28.4% and performance under drought predicted performance under well-watered conditions better than vice versa with regression coefficient value of 0.8. Grain yield had significant correlations with all measured traits under both water conditions, except for husk cover, plant and ear heights under drought. Our data revealed that substantial genetic gains have been made in breeding for high grain yield cultivars under drought and well-watered conditions over a period of 16 years in Nigeria.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© Cambridge University Press 2019 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Badu-Apraku, B., Akinwale, R.O., Ajala, S.O., Menkir, A., Fakorede, M.A.B. and Oyekunle, M. (2011a). Relationships among traits of tropical early maize cultivars in contrasting environments. Agronomy Journal 103, 717729.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Badu-Apraku, B., Akinwale, R.O., Franco, J. and Oyekunle, M. (2012). Assessment of reliability of secondary traits in selecting for improved grain yield in drought and low-nitrogen environments. Crop Science 52, 20502062.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Badu-Apraku, B., Fakorede, M.A.B., Menkir, A., Kamara, A.Y., Akanvou, L. and Chabi, Y. (2004). Response of early maturing maize to multiple stresses in the Guinea savanna of West and Central Africa. Journal of Genetics and Breeding 58, 119130.Google Scholar
Badu-Apraku, B., Lum, A.F., Akinwale, R.O. and Oyekunle, M. (2011b). Biplot analysis of diallel crosses of early maturing tropical yellow maize inbreds in stress and nonstress environments. Crop Science 51, 173188.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Badu-Apraku, B. and Oyekunle, M. (2012). Genetic analysis of grain yield and other traits of extra-early yellow maize inbreds and hybrid performance under contrasting environments. Field Crops Research 129, 99110.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Badu-Apraku, B., Oyekunle, M., Menkir, A., Obeng-Antwi, K., Yallou, C.G., Usman, I.S. and Alidu, H. (2013). Comparative performance of early maturing maize cultivars developed in three eras under drought stress and well-watered environments in West Africa. Crop Science 53, 12981311.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Campos, H., Cooper, M., Edmeades, G.O., Löffler, C., Schussler, J.R. and Ibañez, M. (2006). Changes in drought tolerance in maize associated with fifty years of breeding for yield in the U.S. Corn Belt. Maydica 51, 369381.Google Scholar
Edmeades, G.O., Bolanõs, J. and Lafitte, H.R. (1992). Progress in breeding for drought tolerance in maize. In Wilkinson, D. (ed), Proceedings of the 47th Annual Corn and Sorghum Industrial Research Conference. Washington, DC: ASTA, pp. 93111.Google Scholar
FAOSTAT (2016). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Food Security Statistics 2014. Rome, Italy: FAO.Google Scholar
Kamara, A.Y., Menkir, A., Fakorede, M.A.B., Ajala, S.O., Badu-Apraku, B. and Kureh, I. (2004). Agronomic performance of maize cultivars representing three decades of breeding in the Guinea savannas of West and Central Africa. Journal of Agricultural Science 142, 567575.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lopes, M.S., Reynolds, M.P., Manes, Y., Singh, R.P., Crossa, J. and Braun, H.J. (2012). Genetic yield gains and changes in associated traits of CIMMYT spring bread wheat in a “Historic” set representing 30 years of breeding. Crop Science 52, 11231133.10.2135/cropsci2011.09.0467CrossRefGoogle Scholar
NeSmith, D.S. and Ritchie, J.T. (1992). Effects of water-deficits during tassel emergence on development and yield components of maize (Zea mays L.). Field Crops Research 28, 251256.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Olaniyan, A.B. (2015). Maize: Panacea for hunger in Nigeria. African Journal of Plant Science 9, 155174.Google Scholar
Oyekunle, M. and Badu-Apraku, B. (2014). Genetic analysis of grain yield and other traits of early maturing maize inbreds under drought and well-watered conditions. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science 200, 92107.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
SAS Institute (2002). SAS User’s Guide. Version 9.2. Cary, NC: SAS Institute Inc.Google Scholar
Tefera, H., Kamara, A.Y., Asafo-Adjei, B. and Dashiell, K.E. (2009). Improvements in grain and fodder yields of early maturing promiscuous soybean cultivars in the Guinea savannas of Nigeria. Crop Science 49, 20372042.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tollenaar, M. (1989). Genetic improvement in grain yield of commercial maize hybrids grown in Ontario from 1959 to 1988. Crop Science 29, 13651371.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, T.Y., Ma, X.L., Li, Y., Bai, D.P., Liu, C., Liu, Z.Z., Tan, X.J., Shi, Y.S., Song, Y.C., Carlone, M., Bubeck, D., Bhardwaj, H., Jones, E., Wright, K. and Smith, S. (2011). Changes in yield and yield components of single-cross maize hybrids released in China between 1964 and 2001. Crop Science 51, 512525.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Xiao, Y.G., Qian, Z.G., Wu, K., Liu, J.J., Xia, X.C., Ji, W.Q. and He, Z.H. (2012). Genetic gains in grain yield and physiological traits of winter wheat in Shandong province, China, from 1969 to 2006. Crop Science 52, 4456.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Supplementary material: File

Oyekunle et al. supplementary material

Table S1

Download Oyekunle et al. supplementary material(File)
File 38.9 KB