Probing of the genetic components of seedling emergence traits as selection indices, and correlation with grain yield characteristics of some tropical maize varieties

Abstract

Abstract Ten maize varieties of tropical origin were tested at two different agro-ecological zones during the cropping season of 2007 and 2008 to investigate the genetic components of seedling emergence characteristic and correlate with grain yield and related traits in Nigeria. Heritability values were high for all traits study, indicating reliability and stability of most of the traits across different environments. Variety DMRLSR-Y had highest 300 kernel weight (105.2 g), but least grain yield and second to the least emergence percentage, indicating bigger kernel and highest kernel weight/cob but low plant stands resulted in low grain yield. Genotypic and agronomic correlation analysis revealed positive associations (p < 0.01) between grain yield and emergence percentage (E%), and 300 kernel weight; however, interval between pollen shed and silking was negatively correlated with physiological maturity period and 300 kernel weight. Improvement of this variety for higher emergence percentage is therefore predicted for higher grain yield. High values of genotypic and phenotypic coefficient of variation recorded by emergence percentage (41 and 45%) and grain yield (25 and 32%), respectively, revealed the less effects of environmental factors on the aforementioned characters, and it showed the stability and reliability of the two traits. High values of both broad sense heritability and genetic advance recorded by emergence percentage (E%) and 300 kernel weight confirmed that standard selection procedure could be used to identify superior genotypes for the two traits.