International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences | 2021
Combining Ability Effects for De-husked Cob Yield in Baby Corn (Zea mays L.)
Abstract
Introduction Maize (Zea mays L.) 2n=20, is the third most important cereal crop after rice and wheat in the world. By origin, maize is native to South America. Baby corn is a delicious, decorative and nutritious vegetable, without cholesterol. It is a low caloric vegetable which is rich in fibre content. One baby corn can be compared with an ‘egg’ in terms of minerals. Nutritive values of baby corn (per 100 g of edible portion) is Moisture 89.10 %, Carbohydrates 8.20 g, Protein 1.90 g, Calcium 28.00 mg, Phosphorus 86.00 mg, Iron 0.10 mg (Jat et al., 2019). Worldwide, Thailand is the leading producer and exporter of baby corn. India is emerging as the potential producer of baby corn due to high demand with less cost of production. In India, baby corn is being cultivated in Meghalaya, Western Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Young cob corn has been used by the Chinese as vegetable for generations, and this practice has spread to other Asian countries. It has nutritive value similar to that of nonlegume vegetables such as cauliflower, cabbage, tomato, cucumber. This vegetable has versatile use after cooking and for processing as a canned product. The present investigation consisted of a total of 45 hybrids along with 18 parents (15 inbred lines and 3 testers) and 2 checks. A total of 65 entries were evaluated in randomized block design with three replications over three locations (Two during Kharif-2019 and one during Rabi 2019-20) at Instructional farm, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Udaipur, Rajasthan (Kharif-2019 and Rabi 2019-2020) and Agriculture Research Sub Station, Vallabh Nagar, Udaipur, Rajasthan (Kharif-2019). Observations were recorded on eighteen characters for combining ability. The inbred lines viz., EIQ-103 (2.297), EIQ-180 (1.534) and EI-1104-1 (1.510) were good general combiners for yield and its contributing characters in all the environments and on pooled analysis. Crosses EI-2177-2 × EI-670-2 (3.25), EI-1104-1 × EI-670-2 (3.41), EI-561-2 × EI-2518-4 (5.08), EI-561-2 × EI-2518-4 (2.15) expressed maximum and significantly (positive) desirable sca effects in E1, E2, E3 and on over the environments, respectively for de-husked cob yield. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 10 Number 01 (2021) Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com K e y w o r d s Baby Corn , Zea mays L. De-husked Cob Accepted: 20 December 2020 Available Online: 10 January 2021 Article Info Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2021) 10(01): 3545-3549 3546 India is emerging as one of the potential baby corn producing country due to low cost of production and high demand within the country. There is a great potential to earn foreign exchange through export of fresh/canned baby corn and its processed products. Another important point is that baby corn is a safe edible vegetable as it is almost free from residual effects of pesticides as the young cob on plant is wrapped with husk and well protected from insect attack and pathogens. Baby corn has a short growing period (60-75 days), so that a farmer can grow four or more crops per year in a piece of land under tropical climatic conditions. It has a wide range of adaptation and does not need intensive practices for cultivation. The benefit of reaping with baby corn is that even after its harvest, the total herbage of maize plant can be utilized as green fodder. It generates more nutrition per unit area with the shortest crop duration and has the potential of being an excellent cash crop. Materials and Methods The present investigation consisted of a total of 45 hybrids along with 18 parents (15 inbred lines and 3 testers) and 2 checks. A total of 65 entries were evaluated in randomized block design with three replications over three locations (Two during Kharif-2019 and one during Rabi 2019-20) at Instructional farm, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Udaipur, Rajasthan (Kharif-2019 and Rabi 2019-2020) and Agriculture Research Sub Station, Vallabh Nagar, Udaipur, Rajasthan (Kharif-2019). Observations were recorded on eighteen characters for combining ability. The experimental material comprised of 15 inbred lines viz.,EI-2311-4, EI-2449-2, EI-2403, EIQ-103, EIQ-104, EI-1104-1, EI-561-2, EI2173, EI-2177-2, EI-2509, EI-2518-2, EI-113, EIQ-180, EIQ-225, EIQ-235 and 3 testers EI-670-2, EI-2518-4, EI-2156 their 45 F1s and two checks viz., HM-4 and VL Baby Corn-2. These 45 F1s were obtained by crossing 15 inbred lines and 3 testers in line × tester mating design. The combining ability effects for line x tester mating design was performed as per method suggested by Kemthorne (1957) for individual environments as well as over the environments. Combining ability effects for individual environment