Paya, a new maize hybrid, with relative resistance to common smut disease and suitable grain and forage yield

The new maize hybrid,Paya,is the result of the cross K47/2-2-1-2-2-1-1-1×K18.The single cross hybrid Paya produced an average grain yield of 11.47t/ha in preliminary yield trial in four locations in 2013,10.58t/ha in semi-final grain yield trail in seven locations in 2014,10.96 t/ha in final grain yield trials in 13 locations during 2015 -2016,and 11.33t/ha in final yield trail in 10 locations during 2017-2018 which were superior compared toKSC704as check,with an average grain yield of 9.34,9.46,10.72 and 11.04t/ha (in preliminary yield trial in2013semi-final grain yield trail in2014,final grain yield trails during 2015-2016 and2017-2018,respectively).In on-farm experiments carried out in eight regions,the new hybrid with an average grain yield of9.98t/ha compared to the check cultivar KSC704 with an average grain yield of 8.50t/ha,both with 14% grain moisture,showed 17.46% higher grain yield.Based on the results of the final forage yield trials in five locations,the new maize hybrid with an average yield of80.1t/ha,compared to KSC704 with an average yield of 75.9t/ha,revealed 4.2t/ha yield increase during2017and2018 years.The relative forage value (RFV) in the new maize hybrid (250.7) was higher than the check hybrid KSC704 (179.5).Also,based on the results of on-farm experiments in three regions,the new hybrid with an average forage yield of 85.93 t/ha,showed a 13.26% increase in forage yield compared to the check cultivar KSC704 with a forage yield of 75.87 t/ha.Although the new maize hybrid was superior to the KSC704 in terms of yield,stability,and rate of grain moisture reduction after physiological maturity; its most important advantage was its relative resistance and less infection to common smut disease (with9.16%infection) compared to the susceptible hybrid KSC704(with22.30%infection)as one of the main problems of maize farms in the country.More ever,the response of the new maize hybrid and the check cultivar KSC704 to Fusarium ear rot disease is semi-resistant.In general,the new maize hybrid,Paya,is suitable for cultivation in Karaj,Shiraz,Mashhad,Kermanshah,Moghan,Miandoab,Dezful,Kerman and Jiroft.