Utilization of Male Sterility for Baby Corn Improvement

Abstract

In baby corn (Zea mays L.) production, detasseling results in higher cost and perhaps in yield loss affected by some leaf loss. The objective of this research was to improve non-detasseled baby corn by using C cytoplasmic male sterility. Six selected male-sterile (no anthers exserted) lines from IITA (Nigeria) and Guatemala were used as females in crossing with two baby corn varieties : Suwan 2 (SW2) and Thai Supersweet Composite 1 DMR (TSC 1 DMR). Both SW2 and TSC 1 DMR were backcrossed to Nigeria and Guatemala lines for five and two times, respectively. The resulting five male-sterile varieties and three check varieties were evaluated in October, 1991 at Suwan Farm, Nakhonratchasima. A split plot design with detasseling (D) and non-detasseling (N) as the main plots and eight varieties as the sub-plots was employed. Population density was approximately 133,333 plants/hectare. Results showed that for most characters the differences between the D and N of MS (1, 2,6, 7, x SW2) BC5 and (CU88A(18x19)xSW2)BC2 varieties were nonsignificant. However, the N gave significantly higher (P=0.01) husked and poor-fresh yields as well as a higher ratio of husked to unhusked ear weight than the D. Also these two male-sterile varieties gave significantly higher fresh yields of unhusked, husked and poor ears, ears/plant and ratios of husked to unhusked ears than the check, detasseled fertile Suwan 2.