Combining Ability and Reciprocal Effects for the Yield of Elite Blue Corn Lines from the Central Highlands of Mexico
José Luis Arellano-Vázquez,
Germán Fernando Gutiérrez-Hernández,
Luis Fernando Ceja-Torres,
Estela Flores-Gómez,
Elpidio García-Ramírez,
Francisco Roberto Quiroz-Figueroa,
Patricia Vázquez-Lozano
Affiliations
José Luis Arellano-Vázquez
Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias, Campo Experimental Valle de México, Coatlinchán 56250, Estado de México, Mexico
Germán Fernando Gutiérrez-Hernández
Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria de Biotecnología, Av. Acueducto s/n, La Laguna Ticomán, Ciudad de México 07340, Mexico
Luis Fernando Ceja-Torres
Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigación para el Desarrollo Integral Regional Unidad Michoacán, Justo Sierra 28, Jiquilpan 59510, Michoacán, Mexico
Estela Flores-Gómez
Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria de Biotecnología, Av. Acueducto s/n, La Laguna Ticomán, Ciudad de México 07340, Mexico
Elpidio García-Ramírez
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Facultad de Química, Av. Universidad y Copilco, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico
Francisco Roberto Quiroz-Figueroa
Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigación Para el Desarrollo Integral Regional, Unidad Sinaloa, Blvd. Juan de Dios Bátiz Paredes 250. Col. San Joachín, Guasave 81101, Sinaloa, Mexico
Patricia Vázquez-Lozano
Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria de Biotecnología, Av. Acueducto s/n, La Laguna Ticomán, Ciudad de México 07340, Mexico
The development of hybrid plants can increase the production and quality of blue corn, and, thus, satisfy its high demand. For this development, it is essential to understand the heterotic relationships of the germplasm. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of general (GCA) and specific (SCA) combining ability, as well as the reciprocal effects (REs) on the yields of 10 blue corn lines, and to select the outstanding lines. Diallel crosses were generated with 10 lines and evaluated at the Valle de México Experimental Station in Chapingo, Mexico, and Calpulalpan, Tlaxcala, Mexico. There were differences (p ≤ 0.01) in the hybrids, Loc, effects of GCA, SCA, and REs, and in the following interactions: hybrids × Loc, GCA × Loc, SCA × Loc, and RE × Loc. For GCA, lines Ll, L4, L6, and L9 stood out, with significant values of 3.4, 2.9, 2.9, and 3.1, respectively. For SCA, the hybrids featured were L4 × L10, L2 × L10, L1 × L10, L7 × L8, and L2 × L6, with values of 3.0, 2.5, 2.3, 2.3, and 2.2, and yields of 11.2, 10.2, 10.4, 10.4, and 10.5 t ha−l, respectively. There were no significant REs in these lines. Considerable effects of GCA and SCA were detected; therefore, we concluded that native populations had favorable dominance and additive genetic effects that could be used to support the development of high-yielding lines and hybrids.
