POPULATION CROSS DIALLEL AMONG MAIZE GENOTYPES WITH VARYING LEVELS OF RESISTANCE TO THE SPOTTED STEM-BORER CHILO-PARTELLUS (SWINHOE)

The potential of seven C. partellus resistant maize populations as candidates for recurrent selection program aimed primarily at improving on levels of resistance but also for good agronomic traits including grain yield, was investigated in this study. Mean squares from entries were significant for three of the four resistance parameters and for plant height and grain yield. Gca was significant for leaf feeding damage, stem-tunnelling, plant height. moisture and grain yield but sca was not significant in any instance. Average heterosis was however significant for tolerance and for both plant height and yield. Crosses were at best. significant for two resistant or two agronomic traits. Even then, such crosses included populations considered inadequate. Appropriate intrapopulation selection scheme need to be imposed on the populations to improve the traits in the desired direction before being considered as candidates. Therefore, the seven populationS used herein cannot be used as they are to initiate recurrent selection program aimed at improving on levels of resistance and agronomic traits.