Performance of double-haploid tropical super sweet corn lines in a partial diallel

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5433/1679-0359.2025v46n2p533

Keywords:

Combining ability, Elite lines, Breeding, Zea mays L. var. saccharata

Abstract

Brazilian super sweet corn production is predominantly directed toward the canning industry, which demands high yields, uniformity, and production quality, characteristics provided by hybrid cultivars derived from inbred lines. Double-haploid (DH) technology is being employed to reduce the production time for completely homozygous lines and to enhance the exploitation of heterosis in hybrid combinations for common corn. However, its application remains underexplored in super sweet corn. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the potential of DH super sweet corn lines in hybrid synthesis, identify elite DH lines for use as testers in top crosses, and determine the predominant type of gene action for key traits in super sweet corn breeding, along with their correlations. Twenty-nine combinations of DH lines derived from four super sweet populations and six checks were evaluated at the School Farm/UEL during the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 harvest seasons using a randomized block design with three replicates. The following traits were evaluated: husked and dehusked ear yields, grain yield, plant and ear heights, ear length and diameter, number of grain rows per ear, agronomic performance, and Brix degree. Significant differences were observed between harvest seasons for all traits, with the 2020/2021 harvest season yielding superior results. Treatment × Harvest Season interactions were significant only for ear diameter and agronomic performance. On average, across both harvest seasons, 38% of the diallel hybrids outperformed the commercial checks, which were grouped with the average performance of the remaining hybrids. Lines L1 and L5 showed the highest general combining ability (GCA) estimates for husked and dehusked ear and grain yields, with values of 2244 and 2627; 1260 and 1388; and 811 and 1000 kg ha⁻¹, respectively, making them candidates for use as testers in future studies. Among the most productive hybrids, the highest specific combining ability (SCA) estimates for husked and dehusked ear and grain yields were observed in hybrids HA5, HB2, and HC12, with values ranging from 4685 to 1947, 2829 to 1329, and 1680 to 1095 kg ha⁻¹, respectively. Both additive and non-additive gene actions were found to be important for most of the evaluated traits. Dehusked ear yield exhibited the strongest correlation with grain yield, suggesting its potential use as a selection criterion for identifying more productive genotypes suitable for canned corn production.

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Author Biographies

Vitor Joaquim de Lucena, Universidade Estadual de Londrina

Student, Graduate Program in Agronomy, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, UEL, Londrina, PR, Brazil.

Juliana Moraes Machado de Oliveira, Universidade Estadual de Londrina

Student, Graduate Program in Agronomy, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, UEL, Londrina, PR, Brazil.

Bruno Figueiró Fregonezi, Fundação de Estudos Agrários Luiz de Queiroz

Student, Graduate Program in Genetics and Plant Breeding, Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz", USP, ESALQ, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.

Iran de Azevedo Duarte , Universidade Estadual de Londrina

 Dr., Universidade Estadual de Londrina, UEL, Londrina, PR, Brazil.

João Otávio Gonçalves dos Santos, Universidade Estadual de Londrina

Undergraduate Student in Agronomy, UEL, Londrina, PR,  Brazil.

Lucas Alves Camilo, Universidade Estadual de Londrina

Undergraduate Student in Agronomy, UEL, Londrina, PR, Brazil.

Maria Eduarda Alves de Oliveira , Universidade Estadual de Londrina

Undergraduate Student in Agronomy, UEL, Londrina, PR, Brazil.

Otavio Gabriel Lalau Hoda , Universidade Estadual de Londrina

Agronomist, UEL, Londrina, PR, Brazil.

Josué Maldonado Ferreira , Universidade Estadual de Londrina

Prof. Dr., Department of General Biology, UEL, Londrina, PR, Brazil.

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Published

2025-03-17

How to Cite

Lucena, V. J. de, Oliveira, J. M. M. de, Fregonezi, B. F., Duarte , I. de A., Santos, J. O. G. dos, Camilo, L. A., … Ferreira , J. M. (2025). Performance of double-haploid tropical super sweet corn lines in a partial diallel. Semina: Ciências Agrárias, 46(2), 533–548. https://doi.org/10.5433/1679-0359.2025v46n2p533

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