The success in hybrid seed assembly depends upon the availability of strains with high receptivity and compatibility with their parental genotypes. The presented study aimed to characterize the maize germplasm and select high-yielding genotypes by studying them through morphological parameters, heritability, correlation, and multivariate analysis. The study had a randomized complete block design comprising 27 genotypes with three repetitions. These genotypes are those with wider adaptability obtained as procured from the Cereal Crops Instrument Standard Testing Centre, Maros, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The results showed the cob length and grain yield percentage were the best traits besides the harvest cob weight. Based on the path analysis, the cob length gave the highest direct effect (0.46), followed by yield percentage (0.45). An increasing cob length and yield percentage is relevant to increasing productivity, meaning this character can be beneficial as the most effective secondary quality in selecting maize genotypes. Direct effect is a trait influence that has an impact on the main character. Principal component analysis (PCA) through multivariate analysis can reduce numerous interrelated variables. Based on the PCA, the maize genotypes JHD 14 and JHD 15 were notably promising strains with the highest productivity.
Maize (Z. mays L.), characterization, heritability, correlation, multivariate analysis, morphological parameters
Knowledge of genetic variation is indispensable in predicting the performance of maize (Z. mays L.) hybrids to be developed, and that can considerably assist the breeders in selecting promising genotypes through breeding programs. Based on selection, JHD14 and JHD15 emerged as the best strains with the highest productivity potential.