Diversity among New Maize Hybrids for Quantitative and Morphological Traits

In order to evaluate of diversity among new maize hybrids for quantitative and morphological traits, 17 new single cross maize hybrids were studied in Shahrood Agriculture Research Station using randomized complete blocks design with four replications. Results showed that five independent factors were responsible for significant correlation between 16 measured traits and explained 89.18% of total variation. Factors with most important traits including plant and ear characteristics factor, grain yield factor, ear type, ear size and economical yield were nominated. First and second factors explained 51.8% of total variation. BC 666 hybrid had maximum yield, yield components and optimal plant height traits and introduced as the best hybrid. Cluster analysis by Ward’s minimum variance method clustered hybrids in to four groups. The creation of calculating of the groups mean and the difference from total hybrids, mean indicated that the first group including ZP 434, CISKO, BC 666 and KOSS 444 had higher value of many studied traits including yield and yield components compare to other groups and can be considered as hybrids with high yield. The second group containing genotypes of BC 678, NS 540 and OSSK 444 had higher mean than other groups for the ear height and plant height with and without tassel which was not suitable group. The third group with three genotypes had the lowest mean among groups and the fourth group with seven genotypes was the largest group and had the highest value among groups for ear diameter, 100 kernel weight, plant height with and without tassel, kernel depth and biological yield. Discrimination function analysis by Fischer’s linear method can from these results and classified hybrids in four groups and showed that the cluster analysis was corrected. Validity of grouping was confirmed by discriminate analysis (94%). Multivariate analysis of variance by Wilk’s lambda also showed that there were significant differences (p<0.05) between 4 groups. In conclusion it can be mentioned that there were high diversity among studied maize hybrids and four hybrids including ZP 434, CISKO, BC 666 and KOSS 444 were identified as hybrids with high yield for cultivation in climatic conditions similar to Shahrood.