Performances of sweet corn hybrids under organic crop management across three agro-climatic zones of the tropics
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Abstract
Sweet corn is best adapted to warm climate and it can be grown year-round in the tropics. However, the crop performances may vary substantially along the elevation gradients. This study was conducted to compare the relative performances of sweet corn hybrids as grown organically in three tropical agro-climatic zones of the tropics, to determine the pattern of variation among the hybrids, and to group the hybrids based on their similarity in performances. Twenty-eight hybrids generated from a half diallel crossing scheme involving eight inbred lines (Caps 2, Cap 3, Caps 5, Caps 15, Caps 17A, Caps 17B, Caps 22, and Caps 23) and a commercial hybrid (as a check variety) were evaluated for their growth, development, and ear performances under organic crop management at three locations differed in the elevations (10, 618, and 976 m above sea level). The observations were made on plant height, stalk diameter, biomass, tasseling and silking dates, and ear length, ear diameter, ear weight, kernel-row number, and kernel number row-1. The higher elevation tended to produce higher growth and ear performances, but slower in both tasseling and silking dates. The principal component analysis generated three principal axes accounted for 74% of the total variation among the hybrids. The first axis (39%) mainly related to the ear yield characteristics, the second axis (23%) related to tasseling and silking dates, and the third axis (12%) was related to plant stature. Cluster analysis has grouped the hybrids into three distinct clusters. Five hybrids (Caps 5 x Caps 17A, Caps 5 x Caps 17B, Caps 15 x Caps 17A, Caps 15 x Caps 23, and Caps 17A x Caps 22) are considered to have potential for organic production across the agro-climatic zones of the tropics.
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