Evaluation on breeding potential of 10 waxy maize inbred lines

Objective In the present study,the combining ability and genetic parameters of different waxy maize inbred lines were investigated,in order to provide guidance for improving breeding efficiency of waxy maize.Method Ten waxy maize inbred lines were set as tested lines,and five waxy maize inbred lines were set as testers.NCII genetic design was adopted to arrange 50 hybrid combinations.The combining ability and genetic parameters of their quality,disease level of southern corn rust level and yield-related traits(fresh weight,grain weight per ear,days from sowing to shedding,days from sowing to silkinig,plant height,ear height,ear height coefficient) were analyzed.ResultThe results showed that the general combining ability (GCA) of the nine traits among the 10 tested lines was significantly different (P<0.0 1).GCA of T2 were 7.93 (fresh weight),10.55 (grain weight per ear),10.56 (days from sowing to shedding),11.82 (days from sowing to silking),-33.37 (southern corn rust),-13.51 (ear height coefficient),24.45 (plant height),4.82 (ear height),2.92(quality) at spring sowing,and 21.75(fresh weight),24.21 (grain weight per plant),10.56(days from sowing to shedding),11.82 (days from sowing to silking),-23.36 (southern corn rust),-9.39 (ear height coefficient),14.19 (plant height),3.23 (ear height),2.17(quality) at autumn sowing.The traits ofT2 were stable at spring sowing and autumn sowing.Therefore,it was very likely to breed quality and high-yield combination with T2.While the performance of other inbred lines varied with different traits.The specific combining ability (SCA) of grain weight per ear,disease level of southern com rust,and quality for hybrid combination W 150 × T2 ranked the first,second and fourth at spring sowing,and the first,seventh and first at autumn sowing;and BN2RH×T2 ranked the sixth,third and first at spring sowing and the fourth,first and fourth at autumn sowing.ConclusionThe tested line T2 has great potential since its sound performance in quality,disease level of southern corn rust and yield-related traits.Other tested lines need to be genetically improved based on local ecological characters and breeding targets.Wl50×T2 and BN2RH×T2 is the most valuable combination with high yield,good quality and resistance to southern corn rust.It can be applied in variety comparative test and regional test in the future.