Genotype Environment interaction across moisture regimes for climate resilient maize hybrids Zea mays L

Abstract

Maize (Zea mays L.) production and productivity increasingly challenged by multiple and co-occurring stresses that impact crop growth, development and consequently the crop yields. Maize crop is often exposed to a combination of drought and waterlogging stresses during the same or alternative crop growing seasons, it became a major challenge to the maize breeders to select promising cultivars those fit across varied soil moisture conditions. With a sharp increase in extreme weather conditions in India resulting in increasing severity of drought and/or waterlogging stresses. In such context, development of climate-resilient maize hybrids is becoming the ultimate alternate. Maximum yield potential under optimal soil moisture condition along with guarantee of attainable and stable yields across unfavorable conditions such as drought and waterlogging stresses is became the prime concern for the maize breeders. Based on immediate need of moisture stress resilient maize hybrids, the present investigation was designed and carried out to identify the stable maize hybrids across the varied soil moisture conditions. newline