Combining Ability of and Path Analysis on Root Lodging Resistance of 14 Silage Maize Inbred Lines

Nine silage maize inbred lines cultivated by the Crops Research Institute at Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences and 5 inbred lines from different heterosis groups were selected for the study.Designed by using the P1xP2 uncompleted diallel crossing of NCII method, the 14 inbred lines’ combining abilities and correlations were evaluated. In addition, with the path analysis, 9 traits including the lodging rate, plant height,ear height,stem diameter,root number, root cap diameter and so on,were correlated. The results showed that (a) the female inbred lines of Ye478 had a desirable lodging resistance, but Jiao51 was poor in that regard; and (b) the male inbred lines of MQ11-2 and MQ11-7 were desirable on lodging resistance, but not MQ11-4. The hN2 for the lodging rate was high, indicating a possibility to effectively breed lodging resistance varieties through parental breeding. The stem diameter,root number and root cap diameter significantly correlated to the root lodging resistance, but the ear height showed a significant inverse correlation with the root lodging resistance.The indirect effect of ear height and root cap diameter on the root lodging resistance was equally significant. Therefore,these traits should be closely monitored in breeding to improve maize's lodging resistance.