Agronomic traits of QPM maize hybrids adapted to temperate regions

Abstract

In this paper agronomic characteristics of quality protein maize (QPM) hybrids adapted to temperate regions created in Maize Research Institut Zemun Polje are presented. Hybrid ZPQPM13 showed favorable traits for growing in these regions, and its grain yield was at the level of one of the leading ZP hybrids - ZP 606. However, grain moisture of this hybrid was 3% higher than that of ZP 606, pointing out to the tropical origin of its parental inbred lines. Namely, mother was obtained from F1 cross between tropical and adapted lines, and father by marker assisted selection (MAS) from QPM line of tropical origin that was crossed and twice backcrossed with a commercial ZP line. In the future, in order to obtain even more adapted QPM hybrids, MAS program will continue with all the best commercial ZP inbred lines of all FAO groups.