Assessment of unexploited maize (Zea mays L.) germplasm and its utilization in heterosis for forage traits

Abstract

Maize (Zea mays L.) is an important cereal fodder crop because of its high yielding, palatable and nutritious qualities. It is utilized in the form of grains, green fodder, silage, stover and pasturage. Green fodder provides adequate energy and proteins for growth of animal and milk production. Maize originated in Central America and attained widespread geographical distribution with substantial genetic diversity in maize accessions in India. The richness of diversity is more in the tribal dominated areas where subsistence farming is being practiced. In India the genetic improvement in forage maize however could not make headway and the gap still remain to be filled up through development of improved forage varieties in this crop. Efforts were made by BAIF Development Research Foundation to collect sixty five unexploited local germplasm of maize from the tribal areas of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Jharkhand. An attempt was made to quantify the magnitude of variability for forage traits in these accessions so as to select the appropriate parents for creation of hybrids and also to assess the performance of hybrids for identification of the most heterotic cross combinations to use them in developing composite varieties for high yield and quality of fodder.