Abiotic stress tolerance and nutritional traits of newly developed quality protein maize hybrids in sub-Saharan Africa
Loading...
Date
2022
Authors
Engida, Bitew Tilahun
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
Drought and poor soil fertility are some of the most serious maize production challenges in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Identification and development of quality protein maize (QPM) cultivars that have high yield potential and tolerance to these stresses is a reliable and affordable option to improve food security and malnutrition problems in the region, especially for small scale farming communities. Although several stress tolerant maize varieties have been released and disseminated for commercial production in SSA so far, limited development and release of stress tolerant and high yielding QPM varieties compared to normal maize varieties is evident. Limited attention has also been given to the development of nutritionally enriched varieties compared to grain yield improvement. Therefore, the main goal of this study was to study 40 newly developed QPM hybrids obtained from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) – Zimbabwe, under stressed and non-stressed environments to allow selection of QPM hybrids that could outperform the existing commercial QPM and normal maize cultivars with respect to grain yield and concentrations of tryptophan, iron (Fe), zinc (Zn) and molar ratios of Fe and Zn to phytic acid. The specific objectives were: (1) to determine variability and performance of QPM hybrids for grain yield and agronomic traits under stressed and non-stressed environments, (2) to determine tryptophan, Zn and Fe concentrations, and molar ratios of Zn and Fe to phytic acid in QPM hybrids grown under stressed and non-stressed environments, (3) to analyse genotype by environment interaction and grain yield stability of QPM hybrids and (4) to determine correlations among grain yield, agronomic and nutritional traits in QPM hybrids evaluated under stressed and non-stressed environments. Significant variation was seen for grain yield, and almost all studied agronomic and nutritional traits under stressed and non-stressed environments. Phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was higher than genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) for grain yield and all other agronomic and nutritional traits under all conditions, indicating that environment effect was higher than genotype effect on the expression of the traits under stressed and non-stressed environments. Broad sense heritability of grain yield was higher than 0.6 across all environments, with the exception of managed drought conditions. Anthesis silking interval (ASI) had relatively high GCV estimates and genetic advance, as a percentage of the mean, across all conditions. This indicated that the presence of sufficient genetic variability among genotypes can improve synchronization under different management conditions through selection. Grain yield was reduced by 47% under random stress, 68% under managed drought and 71% under low N conditions. Protein and tryptophan concentrations in the grain were decreased by 36.0% and 21% respectively under low N conditions and Fe and Zn concentration also decreased by 48% and 36% under low N stress and 63% and 9% under random stress, respectively. Some QPM hybrids showed better or comparable performance in terms of grain yield potential and nutritional quality traits compared with the best QPM and normal maize checks under different management conditions, indicating the genetic gain that has been made in the QPM breeding programme. Based on Additive Main effect and Multiplicative Interaction (AMMI) analysis and Genotype and Genotype by Environment interaction (GGE) biplot analysis entries 10 (CZH142238Q) and 14 (CZH15142Q) under optimum; 23 (CZH17192Q) under random stress; 19 (CZH17188Q) and 40 (CZH17209Q) under managed drought and 14 (CZH15142Q) under low N were the most stable and the highest yielding hybrids. Environments Kwekwe (KW), Bindura (BIN), Chokwe (CHO) and Bako (BK2) were identified as discriminating and representative sites for optimum conditions, random stress, managed drought and low N stress conditions, respectively, therefore these environments are promising for selecting well adapted genotypes in the respective management conditions. Grain yield was significant and positive correlated with number of ears per plant and negatively with days to anthesis and silking under low N stress. This confirmed the importance of these secondary traits in developing high yielding and early maturing genotypes. Grain yield was not significantly correlated with most of the nutritional quality traits under all management conditions, indicating a lack of common genes for simultaneous improvement of grain yield and these nutritional traits. Significant and positive correlations were observed between Fe and Zn under low N and random stress conditions.
Description
Thesis (Ph.D.(Plant Breeding))--University of the Free State, 2022
Keywords
Bioavailability, drought, grain yield, G × E interaction, low N, malnutrition, minerals, QPM, stability