Evaluation of quality protein maize synthetic germplasm for drought tolerance
| dc.contributor.author | Bilaro, Atugonza Luta | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-01-08T09:32:34Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-01-08T09:32:34Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2008 | |
| dc.description | Dissertation | |
| dc.description.abstract | Twenty one Open Pollinated Quality Protein Maize genotypes were evaluated fbr drought tolerance under three conditions of moisture regimes i.e. pre flowering stress, flowering moisture stress and optimal moisture to identify genotypes that maintained high yield under drought and well watered conditions. The experiment was conducted at Ilonga research station during rain free period of August to November, 2006, and Selian Arusha during rain season of 2006/07. Yield differences between moisture regimes were significantly (p < 0.001) different. Optimal moisture regime had the highest mean grain yield (1.49t/ha) followed by flowering stress (1.15t/ha) while pre flowering stress had the least mean grain yield (0.9t/ha). Correlation studies revealed that grain yield was related to number of days to anthesis, number of ears per plant, plant height, ear height, and leaf senescence. Of these, plant height, ear height, and number of ears per plant were consistently positively correlated with grain yield in all moisture regimes. Days to anthesis had varying correlations with grain yield depending on moisture conditions. Based on index values, entries 1 (EEQPMOPV-l-EA-#), 6 (EEQPM-13-EA半),10 (EEQPM- 34-EA-#), 13(EEQPM-45-EA-#), 14(EEQPM-49-EA-#), 19(POOL15QPM-SR-#-#) and 21 (Local check 1) performed better in most traits associated with drought. Grain yield, numbers of ears per plant, days to anthesis and leaf senescence were important selection criteria under drought but only grain yield and leaf senescence were important under both stress and optimal moisture conditions. Nine entries had above average yield and out of these only 3 i.e. 13(EEQPM-45-EA-#), 19 (POOL15QPM- SR-#-#) and 21 (Local Check 1) had stable performance across moisture regimes. Stable and high yielding genotypes should be evaluated under field conditions in the target environments so that farmers can select suitable genotypes to be proposed for release. Molecular characterization should be carried out to ascertain the degree of diversity available among the entries identified as best in different moisture regimes. | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://www.suaire.sua.ac.tz/handle/20.500.14820/7215 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Sokoine University of Agriculture | |
| dc.subject | Maize Production | |
| dc.subject | Drought Problems | |
| dc.subject | Germplasm | |
| dc.subject | Flowering drought stress | |
| dc.title | Evaluation of quality protein maize synthetic germplasm for drought tolerance | |
| dc.type | Thesis |