The Role of Parents in Response of Maize Cultivars to Fusarium Ear Rot

In order to evaluate late maturity maize hybrids along with their parents to fusarium ear rot, an experiment was carried out in Karaj and Sari Research Stations in 2009 and 2010 with 22 lines and hybrids. All ears of plants were inoculated by nail punch technique at flowering stage. At physiological maturity, evaluation was conducted by using disease severity index (1-6). The results demonostrated the importance of the role of parents in resistance of the hybrids. The results of combined analysis showed that there were significant differences among hybrids and parents in disease severity of fusarium ear rot in both years. Most of hybrids were moderately resistant to disease including hybrid K360/3 × K18 (KSC705). Two hybrids K166B × K18 and K3547/4 × MO17 (KSC706) were evaluated as resistant genotypes to the disease.