Abstract:
Objective A lodging-resistant, high-anthocyanin, high-quality black waxy maize variety was bred, and its quality evaluated.
Methods The waxy maize inbred line ‘Minnuo WDH18’ with the genetic inheritance from Mintian Sweet AS67, Tai Lines, and ‘Wannuo 2000’ was bred by haploid induction technology. An anthocyanin-rich inbred line of ‘Minnuo JN106’ was generated from the 2nd ring descendant of ‘Jinnuo 10’. Then, ‘Minhinuo 1’ was obtained by crossing Minnuo WDH18 and Minnuo JN106. Multi-point regional tests were carried out on the new variety in Fujian. Contents of total anthocyanin, total flavonoids, carotenoids, and total protein of 6 white, colored, and black waxy maize were analyzed to compare and evaluate the quality of Minhinuo 1.
Results The test cultivation of Minhinuo 1 in Fujian showed an average fresh corn ear production of 15966.0 kg·hm−2 in 2019 and 16038.0 kg·hm−2 in 2020, which were 5.0% and 4.3%, respectively, higher than those of the reference, ‘Jingkenuo 2000’. The averaged two-year crop yield was 15037.5 kg·hm−2, which was 27.2% higher than that of control, ‘Suyunuo 5’. It displayed resistance to striped wilt and high resistance to large and small spot diseases as well as southern rust and resistance to lodging and breaking in the field. On kernel quality, it scored 86.65 on appearance, cooking performance, and taste that was higher than 85 received by Suyunuo 5. The kernels had inedible residue of 9.88% and a content of amylopectin at 97.00% of the total starch. Moreover, the content of total anthocyanin was 454.67 μg·g−1 and that of total flavonoid, 2.11 mg.g−1, which were significantly higher than those of ‘Meiyu 30’, ‘Wanxian Tiannuo 158’, ‘Dicai Tiannuo 617’, ‘Jingcai Tiannuo 18’, and’ Zheheinuo 702’; that of carotenoid, 1.54 μg·g−1, which was lower than that of Wanxian Tiannuo 158, Dicai Tiannuo 617, Jingcai Tiannuo 18, and Zheheinuo 702; and that of total protein, 44.55 mg·g−1, which was lower than Meiyu 30 and Zheheinuo 702.
Conclusion Minheinnuo 1 was characterized by high-yield, high-quality, high-anthocyanins, and highly resistant to various diseases and lodging. It offered desirable marketing value and could become a nutritious, healthy, and anti-aging food material.