Genetic and Correlation Analysis for Four Ear Traits in Maize

Ten elite maize inbred lines were used in incomplete diallel cross(5×5) to analyze genetic main effects and environment interaction effects for four maize ear traits,ear length,ear diameter,rows per ear and 100-kernel weight.The results indicated that ear length,ear diameter and 100-kermel weight were mainly controlled by genetic main effects,while G×E interaction effects did for rows per ear.Ear length and ear diameter which their variance percentage to genetic main effect were 92.56% and 95.80%,respectively,and were mainly controlled by embryo additive effect.While rows per ear were affected by maternal and embryo additive interaction effects,which the variance percentage to total interaction was 50.31% and 49.60%,respectively.The 100-kernel weight was controlled by endosperm and maternal additive effects which their variance percentage to genetic main effect was 50.73% and 47.12%,respectively.The embryo common heritability was more important for ear length and ear diameter,endosperm and maternal interaction heritability were important for rows per ear,while endosperm and maternal common heritability were important for 100-kernel weight.There were highly significantly embryo additive and cytoplasm positive correlations exist between ear length and ear diameter,rows per ear,ear diameter and rows per ear,significantly cytoplasm positive correlations showed between ear length and 100-kernel weight.Significantly cytoplasm,maternal dominance,embryo additive interaction and cytoplasm interaction positive correlations existed between ear diameter and 100-kernel weight.The following five pair traits could be improved together;they were ear length and ear diameter,rows per ear,100-kernel weight;ear diameter and rows per ear,100-kernel weight.