Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Combining ability for stem borer resistance and heterotic orientation of maize inbred lines using CIMMYT single cross testers under Busseola fusca infestation

  • Published:
Euphytica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The African stem borer, Busseola fusca Fuller, is one of the most devastating insect pests of maize in tropical environments. Understanding of combining ability and heterosis may be useful for designing insect resistant hybrids. However, among the adapted maize inbred lines used in this study, the combining ability and heterotic orientation for grain yield and borer resistance is not known. The objective of this study was to determine combining ability and heterotic orientation of maize inbred lines under B. fusca infestation. Sixty six inbred lines were crossed to two single cross testers from CIMMYT in accordance with the line × tester mating scheme. The 132 three-way testcross hybrids and four checks were evaluated at two locations in Kenya. Data were analysed using PROC GLM of SAS statistical package. The genotypes × environment interactions were significant, therefore the two test locations were considered as ideal environments for genotype comparison. General combining ability effects were significant for B. fusca stem borer resistance and grain yield, suggesting a preponderance of the additive gene effects for borer resistance traits. Specific combining ability effects were significant for B. fusca borer resistance traits and grain yield indicating that non-additive effects were also influential. Based on grain yield heterosis data at Embu, 22 lines were allocated to group A, 18 to group B and 8 to group AB, while at Kakamega, 24 lines were oriented to group A, 13 to group B and 9 to group AB, whilst the remainder could not be classified. Based on the SCA effects, at Embu, 20 lines revealed positive SCA effects with both testers and were considered to be AB-oriented; while 12 and 7 lines were oriented towards A and B, respectively. A similar trend was observed at Kakamega but only one line exhibited positive SCA effects for grain yield with both testers, while the remainder had negative SCA effects. The identified lines and heterotic groups may be used by maize programmes that emphasize stem borer resistance in hybrids.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adijah AM, Kathuri NJ, Odero-Wanga D, Shivoga WA (2011) Challenges facing smallscale maize farmers in western province of Kenya in the agricultural reform era. Am J Exp Agric 1:466–476

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beyene Y, Mugo S, Gakunga J, Karaya H, Mutinda CJM, Tefera T, Njoka S, Chepkesis D, Shuma JM, Tende R (2011) Combining ability of maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines resistant to stem borers. Afr J Biotechnol 10:4759–4766

    Google Scholar 

  • Brooks S, Thompson J, Odame H, Kibaara B, Nderitu S, Karin F, Millstone E (2009) Environmental change and maize innovation in Kenya: exploring pathways in and out of maize. University of Sussex: STEPS Centre, Brighton

    Google Scholar 

  • Butrón A, Sandoya G, Revilla P, Malvar RA (2009) Genetics of resistance to the pink stem borer (Sesamia nonagrioides) in maize (Zea mays). Ann Appl Biol 154:205–217. doi:10.1111/j.1744-7348.2008.00284.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • CIMMYT (1989) Toward insect resistant maize for the third world In: Proceedings of the international symposium on methodologies for developing host plant resistance to maize insects. CIMMYT, Mexico, p 175

  • CIMMYT (2001) Maize inbred lines released by CIMMYT: a compilation of 454 CIMMYT maize lines (CMLs), CML1-CML454, August 2001. CIMMYT, Mexico

    Google Scholar 

  • Dabholkar AR (1992) Elements of biometrical genetics. Concept Publishing Company, New Delhi, pp 187–214

    Google Scholar 

  • De Groote H, Owuor G, Odendo MJO, Muhammad L, Wanyama J (2003) What happened to the maize revolution in Kenya? FASID conference: green revolution in Asia and its transferability to Africa II. Durban, August 2003

  • De Groote H, Bett C, Ouma J.O, Odendo M, Mose L, Wekesa, E (2004) Direct estimation of maize crop losses due to stem borers in Kenya, preliminary results from 2000 and 2001. In: Friesen DK, Palmer AFE (eds) Integrated approaches to higher maize productivity in the new millennium: proceedings of the 7th eastern and southern africa regional maize conference. CIMMYT, Nairobi, 11–15 February 2002, pp 401–406

  • East EM (1909) Inbreeding in corn. In: Connecticut Agricultural Experiments Station Report, pp 419–428

  • Fato P, Derera J, Tongoona P, Makanda I, Sibiya J (2012) Heterotic orientation of tropical maize inbred lines towards populations ZM523 and Suwan-1 under downy mildew infestation. Euphytica 187:381–392

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fehr WR (1987) Heterosis. In: Fehr WR (ed) Principles of cultivar development: volume 1 theory and technique. Macmillan Publishing, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Guimaraes LJM, Miranda GV, DeLima RO, Maia C, Oliveira Rd, Souza AVd (2012) Performance of testers with different genetic structure for evaluation of maize inbred lines. Ciencia Rural 42:770–776

    Google Scholar 

  • Hallauer AR, Russell WA, Lamkey KD (1988) Corn breeding. In: Sprague GF, Dudley JW (eds) Corn and corn improvement. ASA-CSSA-SSSA, Madison, pp 463–565

    Google Scholar 

  • Jaetzold R, Schmidt H (1982) Farm management handbook of Kenya. Natural conditions and farm management information. Part A, B and C. Ministry of Agriculture, NAirobi

    Google Scholar 

  • Kanagarasu S, Nallathambi G, Ganesan KN (2010) Combining ability analysis for yield and its component traits in maize (Zea mays L.). Electron J Plant Breed 1(4):915–920

    Google Scholar 

  • Kempthorne O (1957) An introduction to genetic statistics. Chapman and Hall Ltd, Wiley, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Liberatore KL, Jiang K, Zamir D, Lippman ZB (2013) Heterosis: the case for single-gene overdominance polyploid and hybrid genomics. Wiley, Hoboken, pp 137–152

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Mailafiya DM, Le Ru PB, Kairu EW, Dupas S, Calatayud PA (2011) Parasitism of lepidopterous stem borers in cultivated and natural habitats. J Insect Sci 11:1–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morais AA, Pinheiro JB (2012) Breeding for Resistance to Insect Pests. In: Fritsche-Neto R, Borém A (eds) Plant breeding for biotic stress resistance. Springer, Berlin, pp 103–125

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Mugo S, De Groote H, Bergvinson D, Mulaa M, Songa JM, Gichuki S (2005) Developing Bt maize for resource poor farmers—recent advances in the IRMA project. Afr J Biotechnol 4:1490–1504

    Google Scholar 

  • Ong’amo GO, Le Ru PB, Campagne P, Branca A, Capdevielle-Dulac C, Silvain J (2012) Genetic diversity and population structure of Busseola segeta Bowden (Lepidotera; Noctuidae) in Guieo-Congolian Rainforest Relic Area, Kenya. Insects 3:1156–1170

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sanghera GS, Husaain W (2012) Heterosis and combining ability estimates usinng line × tester analysis to develop rice hybrids for temperate conditions. Notulae Scintia Biologicae 4(3):131–142

    Google Scholar 

  • Sasson A (2012) Food security for Africa: an urgent global challenge. Agric Food Secur 1:1–16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schnable PS, Springer NM (2013) Progress toward understanding heterosis in crop plants. Annu Rev Plant Biol 64:71–88

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma H, Dhillon M, Pampapathy G, Reddy B (2007) Inheritance of resistance to spotted stem borer, Chilo partellus in sorghum, Sorghum bicolor. Euphytica 156:117–128

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shull GH (1908) The composition of a field of maize. Am Breed Assoc Rep 4:296–301

    Google Scholar 

  • Sprague GF, Tatum LA (1942) General vs specific combining ability in single crosses of corn. J Am Soc Agron 34:923–932

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tefera T (2012) Post-harvest losses in African maize in the face of increasing food shortage. Food Secur 4:1–11

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Udaykumar K, Wali MC, Madalageri D, Malakannavar L, Gangashetty P (2013) Combining ability studies for yield and its related traits in newly derived inbred lines of maize (Zea mays L.). Mol Plant Breed 4:71–76

    Google Scholar 

  • Wegary D, Vivek B (2013) Association of parental genetic distance with heterosis and specific combining ability in quality protein maize. Euphytica 191:205–216

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Thanks to The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) for financial support during the research, CIMMYT, Kenya for hosting and for providing me with the germplasm, Director, KALRO for granting me study leave, and for providing the research facilities at Embu, Kakamega, Kiboko and Biotechnology Centre during the research period.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. African Centre for Crop Improvement (ACCI), University of KwaZulu-Natal, P/Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

    Murenga Mwimali, John Derera, Pangirayi Tongoona & Lilian Gichuru

  2. International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), P.O. Box 1041-00621, Village Market, Nairobi, Kenya

    Stephen Mugo

  3. Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), P.O. Box 57811-00200, Nairobi, Kenya

    Murenga Mwimali & Lilian Gichuru

Authors
  1. Murenga Mwimali
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. John Derera
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Pangirayi Tongoona
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Stephen Mugo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Lilian Gichuru
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Murenga Mwimali or John Derera.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Mwimali, M., Derera, J., Tongoona, P. et al. Combining ability for stem borer resistance and heterotic orientation of maize inbred lines using CIMMYT single cross testers under Busseola fusca infestation. Euphytica 208, 323–335 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-015-1602-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-015-1602-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation