Genetic analysis and yield assessment of maize hybrids under low and optimal nitrogen environments

Development of maize hybrids that possess tolerant genes to low soil nitrogen is critical for long-term maize production in areas with low soil fertility. In this study, estimates for combining ability effects for grain yield and secondary traits of selected inbred lines, identify potential parents for hybrid development and yield potential of the crosses under sub-optimal and optimal N environments. One hundred hybrids were evaluated under sub-optimal and optimal N environments for two years. The experimental layout was a 10 × 10 alpha lattice design with two replications for two experiments. The results obtained showed that, the genotypes evaluated varied for grain yield and the characters measured under sub-optimal and optimal N conditions. Grain yield reduction due to N stress was 40.9%. General and specific combining ability (GCA) and (SCA) effects for mean squares varied for grain yield demonstrating the importance of additive and non-additive genetic effects for the hybrids evaluated under the study conditions. Even though significant variations were detected for GCA and SCA, GCA which is the additive gene action component mainly controlled the heritage of grain yield under both conditions. Inbred line 15 was identified as the superior parent with positive and significant GCA for grain yield under sub-optimal N. Genotypic correlation studies displayed that grain yield was positively correlated with ears per plant under sub-optimal N and was also positively associated with anthesis-silking interval under high N. The hybrids 52, 75, 81 and 37 were identified to be significantly superior in terms of grain yield, ASI and EPP under the two-contrasting conditions. The results suggest that, there is a need for development of low N tolerant inbred lines and hybrids for production under soils with low N status in the Guinea savanna of Ghana for high grain yield to be realised.