Genetic and anatomical characterization of land races of maize (Zea mays L.) for lodging and yield related traits

Abstract

One of the major constraints to realization of high yields of maize especially under hilly conditions is lodging of the crop. Most of the local maize cultivars of the state are highly susceptible to root and stem lodging causing extensive damage to the crop during adverse agro-climatic conditions which are of a common occurrence during kharif season in hills. Susceptibility to lodging in local cultivars of maize may be due to morphological characters such as tallness, high cob placement, excessive biomass, longer inter nodal distance and weak stem and root system. Anatomical characters such as density of pith, distribution of sclerenchymatous cells, hypodermic thickness and vascular bundle number have been also reported to be correlated with lodging resistance. Keeping all these factors in view, the present study was aimed at characterization and evaluation of local germplasm of maize for lodging and grain yield.