Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1
Department of Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zabol, Zabol
2
Department of Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zabol, Zabol, Sistan and Baluchestan, Iran.
3
Department of Plant Production and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.
4
Department of Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zabol, Zabol, Zabol, Iran
5
Department of Plant Production and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.
Abstract
Cd stress, as one of the most significant abiotic stresses, negatively affects the growth and performance of maize. In this study, the diversity and relationship between yield and various agromorphological characteristics of maize lines in 95 genotypes were investigated using a RCBD with three replications under two conditions: non-stress and Cd stress, in a pot experiment conducted in an open area at the Agricultural Research Station of Jiroft during two cropping years. Under stress conditions, a cadmium chloride solution with a concentration of 30 mg.L−1 was applied at two stages of plant growth (at the six-leaf stage and the appearance of the first male flowers). In both conditions, the results revealed a positive and significant correlation between grain yield with grain number per main ear, 1000-grain weight, the grain number per row, and ear wood weight. In principal component analysis, the first nine and eight principal components were identified under both non-stress and stress conditions, explaining 79.26% and 76.42% of the total diversity of genotypes, respectively. In both conditions, the first component was identified as the phenology component, while the second and third components were recognized as the yield component, yield components, and the dimensional component, and plant type. The present study showed that yield traits, yield components, and phenological characteristics are key indicators for demonstrating the diversity and differentiation among different maize genotypes under Cd stress. This diversity can be utilized in maize breeding programs to enhance tolerance to Cd stress and achieve other breeding purposes such as earliness.
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