Search

Development of maize (Zea mays L.) cultivars with high grain protein and oil concentrations and an appropriate amino acid composition, without losses in grain yield, represents a challenge in breeding programs. The objective of this work was to study the nutritional quality of ten Brazilian maize populations evaluated in three environments. A randomized block design with six replications was used. Ear yield and the concentrations of protein, oil, serine, glutamic acid, alanine, leucine, tyrosine and phenylalanine were evaluated. Individual and combined analyses of variance were performed. Populations diverged for most of the traits. Environmental effects influenced variation for most of the traits, unlike genotype-environment interaction, allowing the selection on the average of environments. Positive association exists among protein and most of the amino acids, when considered on a dry matter basis and there is no association between nutritional quality and yield; therefore, the development of cultivars that are superior for both traits is expected to be feasible.O desenvolvimento de variedades de milho (Zea mays L.) com maiores teores de proteína e óleo nos grãos e um balanço adequado de aminoácidos, sem prejuízo do rendimento de grãos, representa um desafio para o melhoramento. Estudou-se a qualidade nutricional em dez populações brasileiras de milho. As populações foram avaliadas em três ambientes. Os experimentos foram realizados em delineamento de blocos casualizados com seis repetições. Foram avaliados o rendimento de espigas e as concentrações de proteína, óleo, serina, ácido glutâmico, alanina, leucina, tirosina e fenilalanina. Análises de variância por experimento e conjunta foram realizadas. Há variação entre populações para a maioria dos caracteres estudados. Há efeito de ambiente para a maioria dos caracteres, mas não da interação genótipo-ambiente, permitindo a seleção para a média dos ambientes. Existe uma associação positiva entre o teor de proteína e o da maioria dos aminoácidos quando considerados com base na matéria seca e não há associação entre a qualidade nutricional e o rendimento. Portanto, é possível o desenvolvimento de cultivares superiores para ambos os caracteres.

Among the traits that may add commercial value to maize (Zea mays L.), those related to nutritional quality, specially protein and oil content, are of great interest to the feed industry. The objective of this work was studying the variability of protein and oil content, as well as yield, in a group of maize testcrosses. One hundred and twenty S1 families of the ESA23B maize population were crossed with two testers, an open-pollinated population (BR108) and an exotic line (CML269). Testcrosses were evaluated at two locations under a completely randomized block design with three replications. Ear and grain yield, protein and oil content were evaluated. The three-way interaction location x tester x progeny was significant for all traits, except for oil content. Differences among progenies were detected for all traits. Testcross means varied from 8.40% to 11.82% for protein content and from 3.77% to 5.10% for oil content. Hybrids with similar or superior means to the best check were identified for protein content, ear yield, and grain yield. Estimates of the interpopulation additive variance ranged from 0.553 to 1.124 for protein content; 0.034 to 0.057 for oil content (percent data); 132.13 to 521.74 for ear yield and 116.33 to 381.73 for grain yield (data in grams per plant). The population ESA23B can potentially be improved for all the traits studied. Associations among traits were weak, thus concomitant selection of quality and yield can be feasible.