Variation in Agro-morphological Traits of Some Turkish Local Pop, Flint and Dent Maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

Turkish maize accessions collected from north of Turkey were investigated for agro-morphologic variation in three maize kernel types (flint, pop and dent) including 79 accessions. Eight agronomic and morphologic traits (ear length, ear kernel row number, ear height, leaf number, 1000 kernel weight, tassel length, leaf width and leaf length) were analysed by ANOVA and principal component analysis. Varieties and accessions were found significantly different for variance components which were made up high variance due to accessions. Positive correlations were found between agronomic and morphologic traits. Multivariate discriminant function analysis with eight traits revealed that first two of multivariate correlation covered 86.6%, and next 69% of total variation among accessions and the first multivariate discriminant function had high eigenvalue with 76.8% of total variance between varieties belonged to flint and pop maize accessions while the second multivariate variable belonged to flint and dent maize accessions. These multivariate variables correctly classify three maize varieties maintaining maize accessions for their various characteristics with agronomic and morphological traits.

Keywords

• agronomic traits
• maize genotypes
• principal component analysis
• Turkish maize accessions