Kernel Characterisation of Indigenous Maize Landraces (Zea mays L.) from Niger and Kogi States
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.67601/njbls.v3i2b.78Keywords:
Descriptors, Variation, Landraces, Kernel, Genetic, MaizeAbstract
Maize (Zea mays L.) is an annual grass belonging to the Poaceae family, commonly known as the grass family. The maize Kernels show variations that may arise due to genetic factors, environmental conditions, and genotype × environment interactions. The aim of this study is to characterise selected maize landraces from Niger and Kogi States using their kernel characteristics. In this study, the kernels of maize landraces obtained from Niger and Kogi States were characterised using Standard morphological descriptors; like kernel shape, colour, length, width and 1000 seed weight. The length and weight were taken with the use of vernier caliper and the weight with an electronic weighing scale. The data were subjected to analysis and results revealed the presence of variation in kernels of the maize landraces. Three (3) kernel shapes; flat, round to flat and pointed were observed and the dominant shape was round to flat in ten (10) of the landraces, the kernel colour showed variations; with white kernel colour, closely followed by yellow kernel colour, being dominant. The kernel length among the landraces ranged from 8.05mm (in NG-SHIR-006) to 10.65mm (in NG-GIDA-009), kernel width from 7.50mm (in NG-AGAI-002 and NG-BOSS-007) to 10.75mm (in NG-RAFI-011) and weight of 1000 kernels from 140.14g (in NG-BOSS-007) to 300.96 (in NG-RAFI-011). The Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Means (UPGMA) similarity index cluster analysis based on the kernel characteristics grouped the maize landraces into two distinct Clusters at an approximate distance of 6.0. Cluster I comprised 14 landraces while Cluster II consist of only one landrace (NG-BOSS-007). These findings suggest variations in the landraces with NG-BOSS-007 seems to have a high genetic variability among the studied landraces.
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