Thesis and Desertations

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Browsing Thesis and Desertations by Author "ABIKOYE, MERCY MAYOWA"

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    GENOTYPIC PERFORMANCE OF MULTIPLE STRESS TOLERANT QUALITY PROTEIN MAIZE (Zea mays L.) HYBRIDS FOR ADAPTATION TO DERIVED SAVANNA AGRO-ENVIRONMENTS OF OGUN STATE.
    (2025-06-14) ABIKOYE, MERCY MAYOWA
    ABSTRACT Maize (Zea mays L.) is a major food crop in sub-Saharan Africa, providing a significant portion of dietary calories and nutrients. However, conventional maize lacks essential amino acids like lysine and tryptophan, contributing to malnutrition, particularly in derived savanna. Quality Protein Maize (QPM) addresses this issue by containing nearly twice the amount of these essential amino acids compared to regular maize. This study evaluated the genotypic performance of multiple stress tolerant quality protein maize hybrids for adaptaion to derived savanna agro-environments of Ogun state, with the aim of identifying high-yielding, stable genotypes. The research was carried out at Teaching and Research Farm, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (7°13′N 3°26′E) in August 2023 to November 2023 (early season) and June 2023 to September 2024 (late season). Also at the Teaching and Research Farm of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ayetoro Campus (7°15'N 3°3'E) in August 2023 to November 2023 (early season). Thirty-three extra-early QPM hybrids, along with two local checks, were evaluated on the field using Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Data were collected on nine agronomic traits, visual disease syndrome rating to ear rot, leaf blight, maize streak, and cercospora leaf spot were observed on a scale of 1-5. Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance, heritability estimates and GGE biplot analysis to evaluate genotypic performance and stability across the three environments. Significant genotypic variability among the hybrids for grain yield, days to tasseling, and disease tolerance were observed. Hybrids such as QH60, QH19, and QH21 demonstrated superior performance in specific environments, with grain yields of 1,745.10 kg/ha, 3,465.10 kg/ha, 3372.55 kg/ha, respectively. Almost all the hybrids exhibited minimal diseases syndrome rating for ear rot, maize streak, and leaf blight. However heritability estimate for grain yield and stem lodging was low with 9.58% and 2.90% respectively, while ear aspect showed high heritability (123.39%). Genetic gain for grain yield was moderate (8.47%). However, ear aspect and 100-seed weight exhibited higher genetic gains of 81.42% and19.12% respectively.GGE biplot analysis revealed that the three environments belonged to two mega environments with Ayetoro 2023 being the most representative and stable. Abeokuta 2024 was the most discriminative environment while Ayetoro 2023 was the least discriminative, with more uniform genotypic performance. Hybrids QH34, QH18, QH30 and LOC2, were consistent in performance across environments. Hybrid QH38 was the highest-yielding (3,389.02 kg/ha) and most stable hybrid across environments. Hybrid QH29, QH61 and LOC1 had poor grain yield across the three environments. Hybrid LOC1, QH58, and QH11 were less responsive with poor inconsistent performance across the environments. In conclusion, this study identified QPM hybrids with high yield potential, stability, and tolerance to multiple stresses, making them suitable for cultivation in the savanna agro-ecologies of Ogun state. These integration of stable, high-performing QPM hybrids into breeding programs is recommended to mitigate the effects of climate change and improve maize productivity in stress-prone environments.