Hr. Lafitte et Go. Edmeades, IMPROVEMENT FOR TOLERANCE TO LOW SOIL-NITROGEN IN TROPICAL MAIZE .1. SELECTION CRITERIA, Field crops research, 39(1), 1994, pp. 1-14
Inadequate nitrogen supply limits maize production in much of the trop
ics because inorganic fertilizer is unavailable or is often costly rel
ative to the expected returns. The objective of this study was to eval
uate potential selection criteria for improving the tolerance of maize
cultivars to low soil N supply. Relationships among primary (grain yi
eld) and secondary traits were examined at two N levels among full-sib
families forming part of two selection cycles (C0 and C2) of a recurr
ent selection scheme in the tropical maize population Across 8328 BN.
This population was undergoing improvement for grain yield under low s
oil N while maintaining yield potential under fertile conditions. The
phenotypic correlations (r(p)) between grain yield at +N and -N, among
full-sib progenies, were weak (r(p)) = 0.11 to 0.38, with 224 to 251
df), though the genetic correlation (r(g)) was stronger (r(g) = 0.51).
Significant values of r(p) between grain yield under low N and ear-le
af chlorophyll concentration, ear-leaf area, plant height, the anthesi
s-silking interval and senescence rate were detected under low soil N
(- N). These associations were less strong when traits were measured u
nder high soil N (+ N). Genetic and phenotypic correlations were gener
ally similar in sign and magnitude, except in the case of ear-leaf chl
orophyll concentration, which showed no genetic correlation with grain
yield - N, even though the value of r(p) ranged from 0.45 to 0.74. Di
vergent full-sib selection was performed for grain yield and for corre
lated secondary traits in C0 and C2 of Across 8328 BN. When divergent
selections from both cycles were evaluated under two N levels, the lar
gest grain yields under - N were obtained from direct selection for th
at trait. Simultaneous selection for yield and secondary traits in C0
resulted in increased biomass production at both N levels. The realize
d heritability (h2) for grain yield at - N was: 0.32 to 0.58; grain yi
eld at + N: 0.20 to 0.46; grain yield across N levels: 0.16 to 0.27; e
ar-leaf area at - N: 0.18 to 0.74; ear-leaf chlorophyll concentration
at - N: 0 to 0.21; and green leaf number below the ear at - N: 0.13 to
0.23. These results indicate that selection for yield and correlated
traits under low N should result in improved maize performance in the
low-N target environment, with modest increases in yield potential in
fertile environments.