GENOTYPIC AND PHENOTYPIC VARIANCES AND CORRELATIONS AS AFFECTED BY PLANTING AND POPPING IN ZEA MAYS AVARTA

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted in the fields of a farmer in the Sufia area on the right bank of the Euphrates River in the city of Ramadi- Anbar /Iraq during the spring and fall seasons of 2021. Three genetic communities of Popcorn (A-S2-2, B-S1-3, and B-S2-3), the selection program was implemented with three flowering dates. The experiment was carried out according to a completely randomized design (RCBD) arranged by a split-plot design with three replications. The planting dates occupied the main plots while the genotypes occupied the sub- main plots, with the aim of evaluating the performance of selected genotypes under planting dates and comparing them with two local varieties for the two seasons, and measuring the popping size. Genetic variance formed a high percentage of phenotypic variance and this was reflected in higher ranges of the general combining ability which ranged from75.21% to 99.39% for the spring season and from 79.91% to 99.61% for the fall season for the number of grains per row and the popping size respectively. There was a positive and highly significant genetic and phenotypic correlation appeared between plant yield, number of pods per plant, number of grains per row, the weight of 300 grains, and harvest index, which can be used as selective indices to improve the trait of plant grain yield in popcorn.

Keywords

• genotypic and phenotypic variances
• correlations