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Group3.-Narrative 2
Group3.-Narrative 2
Corn Magenta F1 with Female Lagkitan Wax corn for Enhanced Hybrid Crop
Performance: A Study on Yield and Trait Expression
in Partial Fulfilment
of the Requirements for BIOS 1O2-B
(Principles of Genetics)
CHAPTER I
Introduction
The early 1900s marked the commencement of corn (Zea mays L.) breeding
for hybrid development, attributed to the work of Shull (1909), East (1908), and
others. American Indians had practiced a primitive form of breeding for thousands of
years before European colonization. Around 1850, U.S. Corn Belt dents were
developed through crosses involving germ plasm of northeastern flint and southern
dent or gourd-seed types. Open-pollinated cultivars like Reid Yellow Dent, Krug,
Learning, and Lancaster Sure Crop were developed through mass selection based
on plant, ear, and grain type.
Even today, only a small amount of germplasm from other countries is utilized
in U.S. corn breeding programs (Brown, 1975). Before the establishment of inbred
lines for hybrid seed production, various breeding techniques, such as varietal
hybridization, mass selection, and ear-to-row selection, were employed in the late
1800s and early 1900s. However, these procedures were not successful in
increasing yield, and varietal hybridization faced limited acceptance for commercial
use.
Breeding studies by Shull, East, and Jones in the early 1900s led to the
establishment of programs at U.S. agricultural experiment stations and the USDA
during 1915-1925. Private commercial corn breeding emerged in the 1930s, and by
1943, hybrid corn occupied a significant portion of the corn area in the U.S. Double-
cross hybrids were predominant until around 1960, when single crosses began to
increase and eventually became the predominant type.
Global corn breeding expanded rapidly after World War II, resulting in the
development of corn types adapted to various regions. European countries, in
particular, experienced significant expansion due to the selection of earlier maturity
and better-adapted cultivars. Corn became the most important feed crop in southern
and central Europe, ranking second to wheat globally.
Corn grain yields in the USA increased from 1.3 Mg ha-1 in 1930 to 7.5 Mg
ha-1 in 1985, primarily attributed to the adoption of hybrids, increased fertilizer use,
better weed control, higher plant densities, and improved management. Single-cross
hybrids gradually replaced double crosses around 1960, contributing to accelerated
yield gains. The text cites various experiments demonstrating the contribution of
breeding to yield increases, with total gains ranging from 0.078 to 0.110 Mg ha-1yc 1
and genetic gains from 0.033 to 0.092 Mg ha-1yc 1. Estimates suggest that genetic
improvement accounted for 56 to 89% of total gains in planned experiments, though
some bias may be present due to harvest methods. The continued improvement in
genetic potential of hybrids played a crucial role in yield increases.
Objective Of the Study
1. Examine the seed germination and early seedling vigor of the F1 Magenta and
Lagkitan Wax corn cross-bred progeny to determine the hybridization success rate.
2. Measure and compare the hybrid corn crop's overall yield potential, taking into
account factors such as ear size, kernel weight, and total grain yield, to see if cross-
breeding improves crop performance.
3. Examine the genetic stability and trait expression in the F1 generation, focusing
on key traits like disease resistance, drought tolerance, and nutritional content, to
ensure that desirable traits are inherited consistently.
Definition Of Terms
The following terms are defined operationally for purposes of this research work.
Corn husks- These are the outer covering of an ear of corn.
Corn Silk-It is the hair like styles of corn ears.
Detasseling- It is an agricultural practice involving the removal of the tassels from
corn plants. It is a common method used in commercial corn production, particularly
in hybrid corn seed production.
Ear-It refers to the corn kernel developed along a cob and form an "ear" of corn
surrounded by protective leaves called a husk.
Furrow- It is a trench created by a plow or other implements in agriculture for
planting crops within, or as a means to create irrigation pathways.
Glutinous Composite #2 or 'Lagkitan'- It is a white glutinous open-pollinated corn
variety, grown primarily for table use, native delicacies and 'kornik'. It has small to
medium to big soft kernels with excellent eating quality. It has an average marketable
ear yield of 40 tons/ha that can be harvested in 72 days.
Husk - It is the outer shell or coating of seed. It often refers to the leafy outer
covering of an ear of maize (corn) as it grows on the plant.
Inorganic Fertilizer -These are the materials derived from chemical reaction of
compounds.
Kernels - These refer to the seed of corn plant which arm edible.
Sweet waxy purple corn- It is a unique variety of corn characterized by its vibrant
purple kernels and sweet taste. Unlike traditional corn varieties, this type is rich in
anthocyanins, the pigments responsible for its distinctive purple color. The kernels
are generally small and densely packed on the cob.
Tassel - It is a male flower of a corn plant which is borne at the tip of the stem.
Variety - This pertains to the different form and agronomic characteristics of a plant.
CHAPTER II
Corn Breeding
The history of corn (Zea mays L.) breeding in the United States is
deeply rooted in the efforts of pioneering researchers such as Shull (1909) and East
(1908), marking the formal inception of hybrid development. However, this
progressive breeding was preceded by an extensive era of rudimentary breeding
practices spanning thousands of years among the American Indian communities,
predating the arrival of European colonists in the New World. The genesis of the
U.S. Corn Belt dents can be traced back to crosses that amalgamated germ plasm
from the northeastern flint and southern dent or gourd seed varieties. These crosses
commenced around 1850 and were refined through subsequent selection processes,
ultimately giving rise to the distinctive U.S. Corn Belt dents.
Pioneering open-pollinated cultivars like Reid Yellow Dent, Krug,
Learning, and Lancaster Sure Crop emerged from a form of mass selection strategy,
meticulously focusing on plant, ear, and grain characteristics. This foundational work,
largely orchestrated by farmers and seedsmen, provided the crucial germplasm
resources, forming the bedrock from which the initial inbred parental lines were
cultivated. These inbred lines laid the groundwork for the development of the
pioneering double-cross hybrids adopted in the United States. Notably, the utilization
of germ plasm from foreign countries in American corn breeding programs has
remained relatively limited, a trend persisting even in contemporary times (Brown,
1975).
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Materials
Research Instrument
A sophisticated research instrument with tools such as measuring devices,
placards for noting set-ups, and detailed recording sheets was developed. These
instruments were used in a systematic manner throughout the experiment to collect
critical data on yield metrics and trait expression.
1981).
Jab Planting
Maize was planted at a spacing of 18-20 cm, with a seed per hole. A planting
rope marked at 20 cm intervals was use as a guide in the planting. In developed
countries, maize is planted using mechanized planters that deliver single seeds at
equal depths and spacing resulting in homogenous plant stands and increased
yields (Pradhan et al, 2011). The development of a planter with the ability to make a
hole and release a single seed upon penetration of the soil would improve
homogeneity of the plant population, decrease intra-specific competition, and
improve yield potential (Omara et al, 2015).
Weeding
According to Karthik (2023), it is the process of removal of the weeds from the
crop fields either manually or using chemicals. It can be done by a few methods
which are mentioned as follows: (a) Manual: In this method, the weed is uprooted
from the soil by hands in the crop fields and then burnt. (b) Weedicide: These are
inorganic chemicals that are sprayed in the crop fields and kill those weed plants.
These work very specifically and thus do not harm the crops we have planted in the
field and selectively kill the weed.
Fertilizer Application
The complete fertilizer (14-14-14) and urea fertilizer (46-0-0) were
uniformly drilled into the furrows in each treatment plot 20 days after planting. After
application, the mentioned fertilizers were covered with topsoil (Saladaga and
Banoc, 2022). Subsequently, Triple 14 and Ammonium Phosphate were applied after
20 days post-planting (DAP) respectively.
Detasseling
As the season begins, the two inbreds are typically planted alternating four
female rows and one male row. Once the plants reach a certain stage, and prior to
pollination, it’s time for detasseling. The tassels are removed both mechanically and
by hand from one of the varieties of corn plants. That way, when pollination does
occur, the detasseled plants don’t self-pollinate and are receiving only the desired
traits of the other planted variety. Just prior to harvest, the rows of corn that were not
detasseled are destroyed, so only hybrid seed is collected (Nebraska Department of
Agriculture,2019).
LITERATURE CITED
Hee Yeon Kim et al, 2023. A Review of the Biological Properties of Purple Corn
(Zea mays L.)
https://www.mdpi.com/22180532/91/1/6?
fbclid=IwAR3hWukT0Z4e5wjP7vozOFHVwkTf_dlX5ip0THsc05El5jPariiu-W4PwSo
Omara et al, 2015. Hand planter for maize (Zea mays L.) in the developing world.
https://nue.okstate.edu/Index_Publications/Hand%20planter%20for%20maize
%20Zea%20mays%20L%20in%20the%20developing%20world.pdf
Bonsu et al, 2015. Evaluation of two jab planters for planting maize in the forest
zone of Ghana.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
271743499_Evaluation_of_two_jab_planters_for_planting_maize_in_the_forest_zon
e_of_Ghana