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Genetic variability of improved maize varieties (Zea mays L.) for acidic soil tolerance under contrasting environments in Assosa, Ethiopia

Maize is the second most widely grown food cereal crop cultivated in the world and consumed in various form of as part of diets of human and animals. However, its production and productivity is affected by biotic and abiotic stresses among which, soil acidity is the key factor. This field experiment was conducted to estimate the genetic variability of maize for yield and yield related traits, and determine the association of traits with grain yield at Assosa and Bambasi districts during the 2017main cropping season. The experiment consisted of limed and unlimed soil as main plots and 21 maize varieties as the sub-plots arranged in a split plot design with 3 replications. Highly significant (P<0.01) differences were observed among maize varieties in yield and yield related-traits at both locations. Moderate to high genotypic coefficient variation, heritability and genetic advance as the percentage of mean values were observed for stalk biomass, ear biomass, diameter and length, and grain yield at both locations. Highly significant phenotypic and genotypic correlations were observed between thousand seed weight and number of kernels per row, thousand seed weight and ear diameter, and number of kernels per row. The yield was highly significant and positively associated with above stalk biomass, ear biomass, thousand seed weight, and number of kernels per row at both locations at the genotypic and phenotypic level. The phenotypic and genotypic correlation and path coefficient analysis of harvesting index, above ground biomass, ear biomass, number of ears harvested per plot, number of rows per ear, and ear length and these traits also showed a direct effect on yield. The highest yield in t/ha was obtained from variety BH547 (3.04) and (7.35) at Assosa and Bambasi, respectively. Additionally, higher yield was recorded from SPRH1, BH661 and BH546 varieties at both locations. Therefore, farmers could use the above varieties in the acidic soil until other advanced varieties are developed, but the exact significant impact and duration of lime management in the acidic soil for maize needs further investigations.