Genetic evaluation of Zea mays accessions for grain and fodder yield

The present study was carried out in the experimental area of the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad Pakistan to evaluate the maize accessions for grain and fodder yield. Eighty maize accessions were collected from the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, National Agriculture Research Centre, Islamabad and Maize and Millet Research Institute Sahiwal, Pakistan. The inbred lines B-316, F-96, B-11, Sh-139 and EV-340, Pop/209, E-322, B-336 and EV1097Q showed higher GCA for most of grain, fodder and quality traits which indicated that these lines may be used for the development of synthetic varieties. The F1 hybrids B-11 × E-322, EV-1097 × Pop/209, B-327 × F-96, B-336 × B-316, EV-1097 × E-322, B-327 × E-340, Sh-139 × Pop/209, EV-1097 × EV-340, EV-1097 × B-316, Raka-poshi × Pop/209, B-336 × EV-347, B-336 × Pop/209, EV-1097 × Pop/209, B-316 × E-340, Raka-poshi × F-96, B-327 × Pop/209 showed higher SCA for most of grain, fodder and quality traits which indicated that these lines may be used in future for the development of hybrids and heterosis breeding program.