Genetic variances and relationship among traits of an early maturing maize population under drought-stress and low nitrogen environments

Article purchasedDrought and low soil nitrogen (low N) are major causes of low grain yield of maize (Zea mays L.) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). An early maturing maize population, TZE-Y Pop DT STR, had undergone four cycles of selection for drought tolerance, followed by four selection cycles for resistance to Striga hermonthica (Del.) Benth., which is normally conducted under low N (about 30 kg N ha-1). The objectives of this study were to estimate residual genetic variances, predict future gains from selection, and investigate inter-trait relationships in the population under drought-stress, low N and across research environments. North Carolina Design I was used to develop 250 full-sib progenies from the improved population, which were evaluated in three drought-stress and two low N environments in Nigeria, 2011 to 2013. Additive genetic variances were not significant for most traits under the research conditions. The predicted gains from selection for grain yield were 5.3, 8.5 and 7.5% cycle-1 under drought, low N, and across environments. These results suggested the absence of substantial genetic variability in the population to ensure progress from selection. Ears per plant (EPP), ear aspect (EASP), plant aspect (PASP), and stay green characteristic (STGR) were consistently identified as important secondary traits under both research conditions. We concluded that there is need to introgress new sources of favorable alleles for drought-stress and low N tolerance into the population for guaranteed progress from selection, using EPP, EASP, PASP, and STGR in combination with yield in a selection index under drought-stress and low N

Yield gains in extra-early maize cultivars of three breeding eras under multiple environments

Open Access JournalAvailability of extra-early maize cultivars has facilitated the expansion of maize production into savannas of West and Central Africa (WCA). Fifty-six extra-early maize cultivars of three breeding eras;1995 to 2000, 2001 to 2006, and 2007 to 2012 were evaluated for 2 yr under 24 multiple-stress and 28 non-stress environments in WCA. Objectives of the study were to determine genetic improvement in grain yield of cultivars developed during the breeding eras, and identify high-yielding and s multiple-stress and non-stress environments. Yield gains from era 1 to era 3 under multiple stresses was associated with increased days to anthesis, reduced stalk lodging, and improved husk cover. Cultivars 2004 TZEE-Y Pop STR C4, TZEE-W Pop STR QPM C0, and TZEE-W Pop STR BC2 C0 of era 2; and TZEE-W STR 107 BC1, TZEE-W Pop STR C5, and 2012 TZEE-Y DT STR C5 of era 3 were high-yielding and stable across multiple-stress environments while 98 Syn EE-W from era 1, FERKE TZEE-W STR, TZEE-W Pop STR C3, and TZEE-Y Pop STR QPM C0 from era 2, and TZEE-W Pop STR C5, 2009 TZEE-OR2 STR QPM, 2009 TZEE-W STR, TZEE-Y STR 106, and TZEE-W DT C0 STR C5 from era 3 were outstanding across non-stress environments and should be tested extensively and commercialized. Considerable improvement has been made in breeding for multiple-stress tolerant extra-early maize cultivars

Maize genetic improvement for enhanced productivity gains in West and Central Africa

During the past 45 years, the genetic improvement programs of IITA and its partners have made spectacular progress in developing high-yielding crop varieties that offered best-bet solutions to major production constraints, such as, cassava mosaic, maize streak, Striga, soybean rust, insect pests, and even drought. These have led to dramatic increases in the production of cassava, maize, soybean, cowpea, and yam in sub-Saharan Africa that have directly contributed to increases in food availability and indirectly to improvements in national economies. This section presents the status, progress, and achievements, and also outlines future work on crop improvement by genetic enhancement in IITA's six crops

Assessment of early-maturing maize hybrids and testing sites using GGE biplot analysis

Article Purchased; Published: 7 Sept. 2017Identification of outstanding maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids for target environments is complicated by genotype × environment interactions. Thirty-two early-maturity maize hybrids were evaluated at eight locations in Nigeria and six locations in Ghana for 2 yr to (i) identify high-yielding, stable hybrids across locations and/or hybrids specifically adapted to different locations, and (ii) identify ideal test sites for selection of superior hybrids in the two countries. Genotype, country, year, location (country), and their interactive effects were significant (P < 0·01) for grain yield, days to anthesis and silking, anthesis-silking interval, plant and ear aspects, and ears per plant. Mean grain yield of the hybrids ranged from 3177 kg ha−1 for EWH-5 to 4596 kg ha−1 for EWH-29. The genotype main effects plus genotype × environment interaction (GGE) biplot analysis revealed that EWH-29, EWH-8, and EWH-30 did not differ significantly in grain yield and were the most stable hybrids in both countries, whereas EWH-26 and EWH-32 were the most stable hybrids only in Ghana. The GGE biplot analysis identified Samaru, Kafin Soli, and Minjibir in Nigeria and Nyankpala, Damongo, and Fumesua in Ghana as the most discriminating locations. Minjibir (Nigeria) and Nyankpala (Ghana), being most discriminating and representative locations, were considered the ideal testing sites for the respective countries. The type of cultivars evaluated determined the most suitable locations for multilocation testing within Ghana and Nigeria. Whereas hybrids EWH-29, EWH-8, and EWH-30 should be suitable for production in Nigeria, EWH-26 and EWH-32 should be promoted for production in Ghana

Family Planning Awareness, Perceptions and Practice among Community Members in the Kintampo Districts of Ghana

Family planning is known to prevent maternal deaths, but some social norms, limited supplies and inconsistent use makes this difficult to achieve in most low- and middle-income countries. In spite of the high fertility levels in most sub-Saharan African countries and the potential economic benefits of family planning, its patronage remains very low in the sub-region. This study was with the objective of identifying the levels of awareness, utilization, access to and perceptions about family planning and contraception. A cross-sectional study design was used for the study, with data collected from multiple sources using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Relevant findings included a marked disconnect between family planning/contraceptive knowledge and use. The pills and injectables were the most frequently used, but females in the study population poorly patronised emergency contraception. Supplies of most family planning methods were found to be health facility based, requiring clients to have to necessarily go there for services. Some respondents harboured perceptions that family planning was the responsibility of females alone and that it fuelled promiscuity among female users. Recommendations made include ensuring that health facilities had adequate staff and expertise to provide facility-based family planning services and also to disabuse the minds of community members of the negative perceptions towards family planning

Selection criteria for drought tolerance at the vegetative phase in early maturing maize

Identifying drought tolerant maize (Zea mays L.) at the vegetative stage is a meaningful effort at reducing cost and time of screening large number of maize genotypes for drought tolerance. The primary objectives of this study were to assess the effectiveness of vegetative traits in discriminating between drought tolerant and drought sensitive hybrids and to determine the stage at which the stress should be imposed to achieve maximum difference between hybrids with contrasting responses to drought. A drought tolerant hybrid (TZEI 18 × TZEI 31) and a sensitive hybrid (TZEI 108 × TZEI 87) were evaluated in a pot experiment conducted in a screen house facility and in the field at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife in 2011. The experiment was laid out as a randomized complete block design in each of four groups of different water treatments, namely one week of watering for 1, 2, and 3 weeks after planting and withdrawing watering for the rest of the period of experimentation (43 days after planting), along with a treatment involving watering throughout the period of the experiment. Data were collected on root and shoot traits under the four levels of water treatment and the data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and orthogonal contrasts. Results of the ANOVA showed significant mean squares for root length, root fresh weight, shoot length, number of root branches, shoot dry weight, root dry weight and number of shed leaves. Withdrawing water a week or two after planting induced large differences between the drought tolerant and drought sensitive genotypes for root length, root dry weight, number of root branches and number of shed leaves. In conclusion, root length, root fresh weight, shoot length, number of root branches, shoot dry weight, root dry weight and number of shed leaves were the most reliable traits for pre-anthesis drought tolerance. Watering for only one or two weeks after planting was the best treatment for identifying drought tolerant maize genotypes at the vegetative growth stage.Key words: Drought, maize, pre-anthesis, seedling stage

Genetic diversity among early provitamin A quality protein maize inbred lines and the performance of derived hybrids under contrasting nitrogen environments

Open Access JournalInformation on population structure and genetic diversity of germplasm in a breeding programme is useful because it enhances judicious utilisation of genetic resources to achieve breeding objectives. Seventy early maturing provitamin A (PVA) quality protein maize (QPM) inbreds developed by the IITA- maize improvement programme were genotyped using 8171 DArTseq markers. Furthermore, 96 hybrids derived from 24 selected inbreds plus four checks were evaluated under low-N and optimal environments in Nigeria during 2016 and 2017. Genotypic and phenotypic data of inbreds and hybrids respectively, were analysed to (i) assess the level of genetic dissimilarities and population structure of the inbreds, and (ii) investigate the grain yield performance of derived hybrids under low-N, optimal and across environments