Correlation between quantitative traits and grain productivity of the waxy maize hybrids

Abstract

A subspecies of waxy maize (Zea mays L. ceratina) is characterized by the fact that its grain contains 100 % amylopectin starch, a valuable raw material for confectionery production, the manufacture of polymers, and a blood substitute. The absence of domestic waxy maize hybrids in the State List of Breeding Achievements necessitates the study in this area of breeding. The purpose of the current study was to identify dependencies that make it possible to increase the efficiency of the breeding process when developing waxy maize hybrids. The study was carried out at the FSBSI “ARC “Donskoy” in 2020–2022. The objects of the study were 36 waxy maize hybrids developed by the method of interline hybridization. The studied traits differed in the degree of variation. High coefficients of variation were identified in the traits ‘grain productivity’ (V = 30.1 %) and ‘one cob weight’ (V = 21.5 %). The traits ‘number of rows’ (V = 8.4 %) and ‘grain yield during threshing’ (V = 8.2 %) turned out to be slightly varying. An increase in the values of any studied trait resulted in an increase in grain yield. However, the signs of productivity were not equivalent according to their effect on the formation of the grain productivity of the waxy maize hybrids. There have been identified the most influential traits of productivity, such as ‘number of cobs per 1 plant’, ‘one cob weight’ and ‘number of seeds per cob’. The correlation between them and grain productivity is positive, close (r = 0.73±0.12 – 0.82±0.10). The identified traits have been positively associated with the rest (r = 0.30±0.16 – 0.74±0.12), the selection of samples with high values does not reduce the values of other productivity traits. The identified dependencies must be taken into account when selecting the initial material and when developing waxy maize hybrids.