Characterization heterosis and combining ability studies for biofuel related traits in Maize

Abstract

Maize (Zea mays) is one of the most widely cultivated crops of the world and it has an newlineincreased significance in the present times as it not only ensures food security but can also be newlineused an Energy crops. Starch present in the kernels and cellulose present in the maize newlinebiomass holds substantial capacity for biofuel production, which can potentially decrease newlinehuman reliance on non-renewable energy sources. Hence, with an objective to characterize newlinevarious QPM inbred lines and to develop a dual-purpose maize hybrid, the following study has newlinebeen undertaken. Thirty QPM inbred lines were evaluated for seven biofuel related newlinemorphological traits viz., plant height, leaf area, number of leaves per plant, stalk diameter, newlineshoot dry weight, 100 grain weight and grain yield per plant in RBD with three replications newlineduring Kharif, 2022 at AICRP on Maize, OUAT, Bhubaneswar. The biofuel related newlinebiochemical analysis viz., cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin content in both stover and kernel newlinewas done at BPCL Laboratory, CAET, OUAT, Bhubaneswar. The analysis of variance, mean newlineperformances and other genetic parameters were estimated. Of the 30 QPM inbred lines under newlinestudy, inbred lines DQL 2037 and DQL 222-1-1 exhibited higher mean performances for newlinebiofuel related morphological traits. Inbred lines DQL 2229 and DQL 2159 performed well newlinewith respect to biofuel related biochemical traits exhibiting higher cellulose and lower lignin newlinecontents. From the genetic diversity analysis (D2 analysis), the genotypes were found to be newlinegrouped into 6 distinct clusters. Based on the genetic diversity, PCA and mean performances, newlineeight QPM inbred lines, viz., DQL 2037, DQL 2272, DQL 2159, DQL 222-1-1, DQL 182, newlineDQL 2261-1, VQL 26 and DQL 614-4 were selected as parents for hybridization in 8 × 8 half newlinediallel design without reciprocals. In Kharif, 2023, the 28 F1s along with 8 parental lines and newlineone check hybrid (HQPM 1) were grown in RBD with three replications. For biofuel related newlinebiochemical traits, the crosses DQL 2037 / DQL 2272, DQL 2272 / DQL 182