Abstract

CERVANTES ORTIZ, Francisco et al. Diallel analysis for seed and seedling vigor characteres in tropical corn genotypes. Agric. Téc. Méx [online]. 2006, vol.32, n.1, pp.77-87. ISSN 0568-2517.

With the aim of evaluating the genetic effects of seed and seedling vigor characters in tropical corn, a diallel cross design was used involving six inbred lines of tropical corn previously characterized as three possessing high and three low seed vigor. The seed was produced at Tlaltizapan, Morelos, Mexico, in the summer of 2004 and evaluated at the Postgraduate College, Montecillo, State of Mexico in the autumn of the same year. In seeds, the percentage of germination was determined after seed vigor was analyzed using the accelerated aging test, the electric conductivity test and weight. In the seedlings the percentage of emergency, speed of emergency, shoot dry matter, plant height, number of leaves, emergency index, index of rate of emergency, and vigor, were evaluated. The general combining ability (ACG) effects for seed characters and initial seedling vigor, were significant (p<0.01) and higher than those of the specific combining ability (ACE), except in seed vigor. The maternal and reciprocal effects were significant (p<0.01) for all evaluated traits indicating the influence of the female parent used for the production of the evaluated seed. The progenitors CML 396, CML 254 and CML 307 showed the highest ACG in seed and seedling characters. In the estimation of variances it was found that those of the dominance effects were more important than the additives in all characters. Seedling characters had higher h² than seed characters, indicating that the selection would be more effective if made on seedlings.

Keywords : Zea mays L.; combining ability; genetic effects; seed and seedling vigor; variance components.

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