Seed Quality Assessment of the Blue Corn Hybrid Vampiro H10 (Zea mays L.) Through Its Parental Genotypes

Abstract

Objective: To monitor the physical and physiological quality of the trilinear corn hybrid Vampiro H10 seeds through its parental genotypes and to rank the evaluated characteristics according to their importance for germination and seedling development.

Design/methodology: Using a completely randomized design with four replications (100 seeds), in parental genotypes of the hybrid Vampiro H10 seeds, it was evaluated their physical (width, thickness, length, volume, relative density, and width/length and thickness/length ratios) and physiological characteristics (normal and abnormal seedlings, inert seeds, and dry weight and length of plumule, radicle, and total). Seed germination was estimated by the proportion of normal seedlings produced. The results underwent analysis of variance, comparison of means (Tukey's test, P ≤ 0.05), and principal components analysis.

Results: Each cross involved in the formation of Vampiro H10 made different contributions to the seed characteristics. In the single cross, the physical dimensions and dry matter of the seedling were increased, and in the trilinear cross, the formation of normal seedlings, radicle elongation and biomass were favored. This indicated that the hybridization sequence first affected the dimensions and then the physiological quality of the seed.

Limitations of the study: No limitations were presented for the present study.

Conclusions: An increase in volume, weight and length of seed was observed in the single cross and an increase in germination and seedling development in length and biomass was observed in the trilinear cross.