Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-fscjk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-01-03T18:39:16.649Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Genetic gains in grain yield under nitrogen stress following three decades of breeding for drought tolerance and Striga resistance in early maturing maize

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2015

B. BADU-APRAKU ,
M. A. B. FAKOREDE ,
M. OYEKUNLE  and
R. O. AKINWALE
B. BADU-APRAKU*
Affiliation:
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (UK) Limited, 7th Floor, Grosvenor House, 125 High Street, Croydon CR0 9XP, UK
M. A. B. FAKOREDE
Affiliation:
Department of Crop Production and Protection, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ile, Nigeria
M. OYEKUNLE
Affiliation:
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (UK) Limited, 7th Floor, Grosvenor House, 125 High Street, Croydon CR0 9XP, UK
R. O. AKINWALE
Affiliation:
Department of Crop Production and Protection, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ile, Nigeria
*
*To whom all correspondence should be addressed. Email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Breeding for resistance to Striga hermonthica Del. (Benth) and tolerance to drought has been a major strategy to improve maize (Zea mays L.) production and productivity in West and Central Africa during the last three decades. The three decades consisted of three breeding periods or eras based on the germplasm and methodologies used; that is, 1988–2000, 2001–06 and 2007–11. A total of 50 early maturing cultivars, combining Striga resistance with drought tolerance were developed, including 15, 16 and 19 cultivars for the three periods, respectively. Although the cultivars were not selected intentionally for low-nitrogen (N) tolerance, it was hypothesized that tolerance to low-N had been significantly improved while selecting for drought tolerance and Striga resistance. This hypothesis was tested by evaluating the 50 cultivars in 2010 and 2011 in Nigeria at Mokwa and Ile-Ife under both low-N (30 kg N/ha) and high-N (90 kg N/ha) levels. Under low-N conditions, grain yield improved from 2280 kg/ha during the first period to 2610 kg/ha during the third period, an increase of 165 kg/ha per period with r2 of 0·99. Under high-N, yield increased from 3200 to 3650 kg/ha, an increase of 225 kg/ha and r2 of 0·93. Relative gain per period was 30 kg/ha for the two N rates with r2 values of 0·99 and 0·94 respectively. Grain yield performance of the 50 cultivars under low-N conditions adequately predicted their performance under high-N. Selection for Striga resistance and drought tolerance in early maturing maize populations enhanced low-N tolerance in the maize cultivars derived from the populations. The improvement was higher in later than earlier breeding periods.

Type
Crops and Soils Research Papers
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 154 , Issue 4 , May 2016 , pp. 647 - 661
Check for updates
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Andrade, F. H., Cirilo, A. & Echarte, L. (2000). Kernel number determination in maize. In Physiological Basis for Maize Improvement (Eds Otegui, M. E. & Slafer, G.), pp. 59–70. New York: Food Products Press.Google Scholar
Badu-Apraku, B., Diallo, A. O., Fajemisin, J. M. & Fakorede, M. A. B. (1997). Progress in breeding for drought tolerance in tropical early maturing maize for semiarid zone of West and Central Africa. In Developing Drought and Low N-Tolerant Maize. Proceedings of a Symposium, March 24–29, 1996 (Eds Edmeades, G. O., Bänzinger, M., Mikelson, H. R. & Peña-Valdivia, C. B.), pp. 469–474. El Batan, Mexico, DF: CIMMYT.Google Scholar
Badu-Apraku, B., Fakorede, M. A. B. & Lum, A. F. (2007). Evaluation of experimental varieties from recurrent selection for Striga resistance in two extra-early maize populations in the savannas of West and Central Africa. Experimental Agriculture 43, 183–200.Google Scholar
Badu-Apraku, B., Fakorede, M. A. B. & Lum, A. F. (2008). S1 family selection in early-maturing maize populations in Striga-infested and Striga-free environments. Crop Science 48, 1984–1994.Google Scholar
Badu-Apraku, B., Fakorede, M. A. B., Lum, A. F. & Akinwale, R. (2009). Improvement of yield and other traits of extra-early maize under stress and nonstress environments. Agronomy Journal 101, 381–389.Google Scholar
Badu-Apraku, B., Menkir, A., Ajala, S. O., Akinwale, R. O., Oyekunle, M. & Obeng-Antwi, K. (2010). Performance of tropical early-maturing maize cultivars in multiple stress environments. Canadian Journal of Plant Science 90, 831–852.Google Scholar
Badu-Apraku, B., Fakorede, M. A. B., Oyekunle, M. & Akinwale, R. O. (2011). Selection of extra-early maize inbreds under low-N and drought at flowering and grain-filling for hybrid production. Maydica 56, 29–41.Google Scholar
Badu-Apraku, B., Oyekunle, M., Menkir, A., Obeng-Antwi, K., Yallou, C. G., Usman, I. S. & Alidu, H. (2013 a). Comparative performance of early maturing maize cultivars developed in three eras under drought stress and well-watered environments in West Africa. Crop Science 53, 1298–1311.Google Scholar
Badu-Apraku, B., Yallou, C. G. & Oyekunle, M. (2013 b). Genetic gains from selection for high grain yield and Striga resistance in early maturing maize cultivars of three breeding periods under Striga-infested and Striga-free environments. Field Crops Research 147, 54–67.Google Scholar
Badu-Apraku, B., Fakorede, M. A. B., Oyekunle, M., Yallou, G. C., Obeng-Antwi, K., Haruna, A., Usman, I. S. & Akinwale, R. O. (2015). Gains in grain yield of early maize cultivars developed during three breeding eras under multiple environments. Crop Science 55, 527–539.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bänziger, M. & Lafitte, H. R. (1997). Efficiency of secondary traits for improving maize for low-nitrogen target environments. Crop Science 37, 1110–1117.Google Scholar
Bänziger, M., Edmeades, G. O. & Lafitte, H. R. (1999). Selection for drought tolerance increases maize yields across a range of nitrogen levels. Crop Science 39, 1035–1040.Google Scholar
Betrán, F. J., Beck, D., Bänziger, M. & Edmeades, G. O. (2003). Secondary traits in parental inbreds and hybrids under stress and non-stress environments in tropical maize. Field Crops Research 83, 51–65.Google Scholar
Bremner, J. M. & Mulvaney, C. S. (1982). Nitrogen - total. In Methods of Soil Analysis Pt. 2, 2nd edn, (Eds Page, A. L., Miller, R. H. & Keeney, D. R.), pp. 595–624. Agronomy Monograph 9. Madison, WI: ASA and SSSA.Google Scholar
Campos, H., Cooper, M., Edmeades, G. O., Löffler, C., Schussler, J. R. & Ibañez, M. (2006). Changes in drought tolerance in maize associated with fifty years of breeding for yield in the U.S. corn belt. Maydica 51, 369–381.Google Scholar
Castleberry, R. M., Crum, C. W. & Krull, C. F. (1984). Genetic yield improvement of U.S. maize cultivars under varying fertility and climatic environments. Crop Science 24, 33–36.Google Scholar
Cechin, I. & Press, M. C. (1994). The influence of nitrogen on growth and photosynthesis of sorghum infected with Striga hermonthica from different provenances. Weed Research 34, 289–298.Google Scholar
Duvick, D. N. (2005). Genetic progress in yield of United States maize (Zea mays L.). Maydica 50, 193–202.Google Scholar
Edmeades, G. O., Bänziger, M., Campos, H. & Schussler, J. (2006). Improving tolerance to abiotic stresses in staple crops: A random or planned process. In Plant Breeding: The Arnel R. Hallauer International Symposium (Eds Lamkey, K. R. & Lee, M.), pp. 293–309. Ames, Iowa: Blackwell Publ.Google Scholar
Fakorede, M. A. B. (1979). Interrelationships among grain yield and agronomic traits in a synthetic population of maize. Maydica 24, 181–192.Google Scholar
IUSS Working Group WRB (2006). World Reference Base for Soil Resources: a Framework for International Classification, Correlation and Communication. World Soil Resources Reports 103. Rome: FAO.Google Scholar
Kamara, A. Y., Menkir, A., Fakorede, M. A. B., Ajala, S. O., Badu-Apraku, B. & Kureh, I. (2004). Agronomic performance of maize cultivars representing three decades of breeding in the Guinea savannas of West and Central Africa. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 142, 567–575.Google Scholar
Kim, S. K. & Adetimirin, V. O. (1997). Responses of tolerant and susceptible maize varieties to timing and rate of nitrogen under Striga hermonthica infestation. Agronomy Journal 89, 38–44.Google Scholar
McCown, R. L., Keating, B. A., Probert, M. E. & Jones, R. K. (1992). Strategies for sustainable crop production in semi-arid Africa. Outlook on Agriculture 21, 21–31.Google Scholar
Oikeh, S. O. & Horst, W. J. (2001). Agro-physiological responses of tropical maize cultivars to nitrogen fertilization in the moist savanna of West Africa. In Plant Nutrition: Food Security and Sustainability of Agro-ecosystems through Basic and Applied Research (Eds Horst, W. J., Schenk, M. K., Bürkert, A., Claassen, N., Flessa, H., Frommer, W. B., Goldbach, H., Olfs, H.-W., Römheld, V., Sattelmacher, B., Schmidhalter, U., Schubert, S., Wirén, N. v. & Wittenmayer, L.), pp. 804–805. Developments in Plant and Soil Sciences vol. 92. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.Google Scholar
O'Neill, P. M., Shanahan, J. F., Schepers, J. S. & Caldwell, L. B. (2004). Agronomic responses of corn hybrids from different eras to deficit and adequate levels of water and nitrogen. Agronomy Journal 96, 1660–1667.Google Scholar
Russell, W. A. (1984). Agronomic performance of maize cultivars representing different eras of breeding. Maydica 29, 375–390.Google Scholar
Sangoi, L., Ender, M., Guidolin, A. F., de Almeida, M. L. & Konflanz, V. A. (2001). Nitrogen fertilization impact on agronomic traits of maize hybrids released at different decades. Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira 36, 757–764.Google Scholar
SAS Institute (2001). Statistical Analysis Software (SAS) User's Guide. Version 9.2. Cary, NC: SAS Institute, Inc.Google Scholar
Soil Survey Staff (2007). Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 11th edn, Washington, DC: USDA-NRCS.Google Scholar
Tollenaar, M. (1989). Genetic improvement in grain yield of commercial maize hybrids grown in Ontario from 1959 to 1988. Crop Science 29, 1365–1371.Google Scholar
Tollenaar, M., Nissanka, S. P., Rajcan, I. & Bruulsema, T. W. (1997). Yield response of old and new corn hybrids to nitrogen. Better Crops 81, 3–5.Google Scholar
Wang, T. Y., Ma, X. L., Li, Y., Bai, D. P., Liu, C., Liu, Z. Z., Tan, X. J., Shi, Y. S., Song, Y. C., Carlone, M., Bubeck, D., Bhardwaj, H., Jones, E., Wright, K. & Smith, S. (2011). Changes in yield and yield components of single-cross maize hybrids released in China between 1964 and 2001. Crop Science 51, 512–525.Google Scholar
Wolfe, D. W., Henderson, D. W., Hsiao, T. C. & Alvino, A. (1988). Interactive water and nitrogen effects on maize. II. Photosynthetic decline and longevity of individual leaves. Agronomy Journal 80, 865–870.Google Scholar
Yan, W. (2001). GGEbiplot Pattern Explorer: The Complete Biplot Analysis System. Release 5.4. Copyright Weikai Yan. Available online from: http://www.ggebiplot.com/concept.htm (verified 1 December 2009).Google Scholar
Yan, W., Hunt, L. A., Sheng, Q. & Szlavnics, Z. (2000). Cultivar evaluation and mega-environment investigation based on the GGE biplot. Crop Science 40, 597–605.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yan, W., Kang, M. S., Ma, B., Woods, S. & Cornelius, P. L. (2007). GGE biplot vs. AMMI analysis of genotype-by environment data. Crop Science 47, 643–655.Google Scholar