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Evaluation of grain yield and related agronomic traits of quality protein maize hybrids in Southern Africa

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Abstract

Maize is the major staple food in southern Africa with human consumption averaging 91 kg capita−1 year−1, and normal maize is nutritionally deficient in two essential amino acids: tryptophan and lysine. Despite the development of quality protein maize (QPM) with high tryptophan and lysine, stunting and kwashiorkor remain high in sub-Saharan Africa due to lack of high yielding and adapted QPM varieties. This study aimed at evaluating a new generation of QPM varieties for yield and related agronomic traits. Before the QPM varieties were validated on-farm, they were simultaneously selected on-station under five different management conditions. In the 2014/2015 season, 10 elite QPM varieties were selected from on-station trials based on high grain yield and stability, and were compared with the best commercial check varieties on-farm. During the 2015/2016 season, some poorly performing QPM varieties were dropped while new ones were added, resulting in 12 elite QPM varieties being evaluated on-farm. Analysis of variance for the 2014/2015 season showed non-significant hybrid × management condition interaction. Mean grain yields across management conditions ranged from 1.5 to 4 t ha−1 and were higher under mild stress (2.3–5.5 t ha−1) compared to random stress conditions (1.1–2.9 t ha−1). Broad sense heritability estimates were low to moderate (11–69%), and thus could still permit effective selection of better genotypes. Yield advantage ranged from 12 to 25% across the 2 years, suggesting effective genetic gains in QPM breeding. QPM hybrids CZH132044Q, CZH142238Q and CZH142236Q were stable and high yielding. Promotion of such QPM hybrids may help reduce protein energy malnutrition.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported in part by the Drought Tolerance Maize for Africa (DTMA) project funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Africa Research in Sustainable Intensification for the Next Generation (Africa RISING) project funded by USAID and the MAIZE CGIAR research program. We thank the farmers and extension agents at each site for conducting the trials.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Global Maize Program, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT), P.O. Box MP 163, Mt Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe

    P. S. Setimela & A. T. Tarekegne

  2. Department of Crop Science, University of Zimbabwe, P.O. Box MP 167, Mt Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe

    E. Gasura

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  1. P. S. Setimela
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  2. E. Gasura
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  3. A. T. Tarekegne
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Correspondence to P. S. Setimela.

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Setimela, P.S., Gasura, E. & Tarekegne, A.T. Evaluation of grain yield and related agronomic traits of quality protein maize hybrids in Southern Africa. Euphytica 213, 289 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-017-2082-2

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