Open-Pollinated and Hybrid Maize Varieties

for the Rainforest Agroecology

of Southwest Nigeria

M.A.B. Fakorede
Department of Crop Production & Protection
Obafemi Awolowo University
ILE-IFE, Nigeria
<dele_fakorede@yahoo.com>
+234 808 116 0451
Other contributors
A.O. Ayanniyi, A. Oluwaranti, R.O. Akinwale
(From OAU, Ile-Ife)
B. Badu-Apraku, A. Menkir, S. K. Meseka
(From IITA, Ibadan)
 Background
Peculiarities of the cropping seasons of the
rainforest agroecology of sw Nigeria include
Incidence of abiotic and biotic constraints
Impact of climate change
 1.1
Mid-August
Probability of occurrence 1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6 Early Oct.
0.5 Early Nov.
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35
Weeks from March 1

Fig. 1. Distribution of rainfall and drought from

March to November at Ile-Ife, Nigeria..
 600
= -1.074x2 + 0.409x + 458.7
500 R = 0.806
Rainfall, mm

400
300 = -22.14x + 541.4
R = 0.759
200
100
0
81 83 85 87 89 91 93 95 97 99
Year
Fig. 2. Total annual rainfall for March, April and May
at Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
 Impact of climate change include
recurrent drought since the 1950s,
consistent decrease in total annual rainfall over time,
delayed onset and early recession of the rains,
reduced duration of the cropping season,
false start of the rainy season,
increased drought probability during the cropping
season,
increased annual maximum temperature
 Background Contd
Maize (Zea mays L.) varieties that fit into the
changes are urgently needed.
The varieties must be
Drought escaping or drought tolerant (DT)
Low soil N tolerant
 Background Contd
Maturity groups of maize for the rainforest are
Extra-early (80-85 days)
Early (90-95 days)
Intermediate (100-105 days)
Late (110-115 days)
 Background Contd
Intermediate/Late varieties are higher yielding
than Early and Extra-early, but may NOT
complete the growth cycle because of
terminal drought occurrence, if planted in the
late season.
Objectives
Evaluate the performance of maize OPVs and
hybrids of extra-early (EE), early (E), and
intermediate/late (I/L) maturity groups in the
two natural seasons of sw Nigeria;
Identify varieties for each and across seasons;
Determine the relationship between grain
yield and agronomic traits for the purpose of
further selection for grain yield improvement.
 Methodology
Three OPV and seven hybrid groups,
containing a total of 350 genotypes were
evaluated in 2015 at Obafemi Awolowo
University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria (7028' 4033' 244 m
asl).
 Summary of the Trials
Trial details
Total Maturity class Number of Number of
Type of Trial Number of trials entries
trials
OPV 3 Interm/Late 1 28
Early 1 25
Extra-early 1 25
Hybrid 7 Interm/Late 3
Topcross 1 33
3-way 2 56 +48 =104
Early 2 (W and Y) 40+30 = 70
Extra-early 2 (W and Y) 35+30 = 65
TOTAL = 350
Results and Discussion
Table 1. Grain yield (t ha-1) of extra-early, early and intermediate/late maturing OPVs
within and across seasons in the rain forest agroecology of sw Nigeria, 2015.

Extra-early Early Intermediate/Late

Early season
Mean s.e. 0.73 0.064 1.04 0.047 1.42 0.043
Lowest 0.21 0.11 0.28
Highest 3.15 1.84 2.05

Late season
Mean s.e. 1.86 0.063 1.96 0.067 1.57 0.068
Lowest 0.38 0.67 0.21
Highest 3.14 3.59 3.01

Across seasons
Mean s.e. 1.350.048 1.64 0.064 1.280.046
Lowest 0.21 0.11 0.21
Highest 3.15 3.59 3.01
 Table 2. Grain yield (t ha-1) of intermediate/late maturing hybrids
within and across seasons in the rain forest agroecology of sw Nigeria, 2015.

3-W DT 3-W DT STR Top cross

Early season
Mean s.e. 0.81 0.027 0.81 0.023 0.89 0.034
Lowest 0.11 0.22 0.13
Highest 1.97 1.87 1.89
Late season
Mean s.e. 1.78 0.059 1.57 0.050 1.700.053
Lowest 0.22 0.29 0.48
Highest 4.22 3.23 3.01
Across seasons
Mean s.e. 1.290.042 1.190.035 1.310.043
Lowest 0.11 0.22 0.13
Highest 4.22 3.23 3.01
Table 3. Grain yield (t ha-1) of white (W) and yellow (Y) extra-early (EE) and early (E) maturing
hybrids within and across seasons in the rain forest agroecology of sw Nigeria, 2015.

EE- W EE- Y E- W E- Y
Early season
Mean s.e. 1.220.057 0.540.036 1.630.070 0.620.043
Lowest 0.18 0.11 0.33 0.11
Highest 3.14 1.73 3.94 1.73
Late season
Mean s.e. 2.420.070 1.960.077 1.610.074 1.620.074
Lowest 0.64 0.54 0.34 0.16
Highest 4.11 4.13 3.27 3.29
Across seasons
Mean s.e. 1.820.062 1.230.068 1.620.051 1.120.057
Lowest 0.18 0.11 0.33 0.11
Highest 4.11 4.13 3.94 3.29
Table 4. Correlation coefficients between grain yield and agronomic
traits of intermediate/late maturing OPV and hybrid varieties
evaluated in a rainforest location, early and late seasons, 2015.

Intermediate/Late
Trait OPV TC 3WDT 3WDTSTR
Anthesis -0.07 -0.22 -0.39* -0.36*
Silking -0.12 -0.27 -0.45** -0.44**
ASI -0.21 -0.30 -0.56** -0.32*
Plant ht 0.48** 0.18 0.56** 0.40**
Ear ht 0.34 -0.09 0.45** 0.27
Plant aspect -0.74** -0.57** -0.66** -0.49**
Ear aspect -0.58** -0.44** -0.74** -0.62**
No. of ears 0.70** 0.77** 0.81** 0.56**
Table 5. Correlation coefficients between grain yield and agronomic traits of
early maturing OPV and hybrid varieties evaluated in a rainforest
location, early and late seasons, 2015.

Early
Trait OPV WH YH
Anthesis -0.01 -0.39* -0.37*
Silking -0.04 -0.38* -0.43*
ASI -0.09 -0.17 -0.38*
Plant ht 0.28 0.49** 0.67**
Ear ht 0.37* 0.38* 0.61**
Plant aspect -0.33 -0.62** -0.83**
Ear aspect -0.30 -0.84** -0.80**
No. of ears 0.74** 0.80** 0.72**
Table 6. Correlation coefficients between grain yield and agronomic traits of
extra-early maturing OPV and hybrid varieties evaluated in a rainforest
location, early and late seasons, 2015.

Extra-early
Trait OPV WH YH
Anthesis 0.05 -0.22 -0.31
Silking 0.14 -0.20 -0.30
ASI 0.25 0.17 0.24
Plant ht 0.23 0.51** 0.57**
Ear ht 0.30 0.56** 0.34
Plant aspect -0.50** -0.86** -0.82**
Ear aspect -0.51** -0.65** -0.68**
No. of ears 0.72** 0.77** 0.84**
Summary
In the early season, I/L OPVs out-yielded the E
and EE OPVs by about 42 and 48%.
In the late season, however, the E and EE out-
yielded the I/L by about 25 and 18%.
Across seasons, E was 21 and 28% higher
yielding than EE and I/L and was, therefore,
the best maturity group for OPVs in this study.
Summary Contd
For the hybrid groups:
I/L maturing 3WDT and TC hybrids performed
equally but were both significantly higher
yielding than 3WDTSTR hybrids, although by
only about 10%.
Similarly, the E and EE white hybrids out-
yielded their yellow counterparts by nearly
50%.
Summary Contd
Highest grain yields were produced by
two 3W hybrids
TZEEI 21 x TZEEI 14 x TZEEI 29 (6.3 t ha-1)
TZEI 157 x TZEI 17 x TZEI 16 (6.1 t ha-1)
and two SC hybrids
TZEEI 14 x TZEEI 29 (6.6 t ha-1)
TZEI 60 x TZEI 86 (6.1 t ha-1),
all in the E and EE maturity groups.
Summary Contd
For all maturity groups and varietal types,
plant and ear aspects (r= >-0.6)
and
number of ears per unit land area (r= >0.7)
consistently had significant r-values with grain
yield.
Conclusion
For the rainforest agroecology of sw Nigeria:
I/L OPVs were the best for the early season
E and EE 3W and SC hybrids were the best for
the late season.
Thank you