Sweet-waxy corn (Zea mays ceratina. L.) is one of the most widely consumed foods in Eastern Indonesia. Improving the productivity and quality of waxy corn by developing hybrid sweet-waxy corn with desirable traits directly affecting grain yield is crucial. The presented study aimed to determine the genetic variability and heritability and the traits with direct and indirect effects on the grain yield in sweet-waxy corn, conducted in 2023 at the Pasir Kuda Experimental Farm, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia. Seventeen sweet-waxy corn hybrids’ planting used a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Analysis of variance, genetic parameter estimation, correlation, and path analysis assessed data in this study. The results showed ear diameter (63.85%), ear length (66.31%), and ear weight without husk (76.78%) had a higher heritability. The values for the phenotypic and genotypic coefficient of variation were moderate-high (11.09%–33.08%). The traits, ear diameter, ear length, and kernels per row had a significant positive correlation and positive direct effects on ear weight. In addition, plant height, ear height, and the number of leaves had a strong indirect effect on the ear weight without husk, which could serve as selection criteria.
Correlation, genetic variability, heritability, indirect effects, path analysis, and sweet-waxy corn
The traits, ear diameter, ear length, and kernels per row have a considerable positive correlation and the highest direct effects on the ear weight without husk in sweet-waxy corn (Z. mays ceratina. L.). These traits could benefit as selection criteria to enhance the grain yield in sweet-waxy corn.