Authors:
Ibrahim DEMBELE, Adejumobi, Idris Ishola, Siaka D TRAORE, Dr Daniel NYADANU, Ibrahima hama CISSE, Issa Zakari Mahaman MOURTALA and Ibrahima SAMAKE, Mali |
Abstract:
Maize (zea mays L.) is an important crop for global food security. The inadequacy and uneven
distribution of rainfall resulting in drought conditions has been a primary challenge to successful
maize cultivation in the maize growing regions of Ghana as many farmers practice rain-fed
agriculture. The availability of the extra-early and early cultivars has helped to reduce the losses
from drought. Nonetheless, the stability of the performance of these cultivars have not been
assessed in these growing regions. Therefore a study was conducted to assess stability and
adaptability of grain yield of the maize hybrid genotypes in Ghana. A total of thirty five (33)
regional extra-early white single cross hybrids obtained from IITA and two (2) locally released
check were evaluated at Nyankpala, Yendi and Manga, indicating the Sudan and Savanna zone
of Ghana. The combined analysis of variance indicated that there were significant (P< 0.01)
differences among Genotype (G) and Environment (E) as well as the interaction of G x E for
grain yield. Percentage contribution of mean square variance for environments (86.65%) was far
higher than the contribution of both genotype (9.79%) and the interaction of genotype by
environment (1.99%). Based on GGE biplot procedure, EEWH-2 (1), EEWH-30 (4), 10C3333-2
(33), Dorke-SR (34), and *EEWH-59 (27) were the most stable with above average performance
and had close to zero projection on to the AEC abscissa. In contrast, entries 11C5060 (30),
*EEWH-52 (20), *EEWH-44 (12), *EEWH-57 (25), and Dodzi (35) were the least stable but
high yielding hybrids. However, entries *EEWH-54 (22), EEWQH-3 (32) and EEWH-27 (3)
were also among stable hybrids but very low yielding. Yendi was identified as the most ideal
environment even though Nyankpala produced the highest genotype yield during the study.
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