Firezer Greener Journal of Agricultural Sciences Vol. 9(1), pp. 07-13, 2019 ISSN: 2276-7770 Copyright ©2019, the copyright of this article is retained by the author(s) DOI Link: http://doi.org/10.15580/GJAS.2019.1.123118189 http://gjournals.org/GJAS Association of Traits and Adaptability of Hybrid Maize (Zea mays L.) Varieties in Western Part of Ethiopia Firezer Girma Kebede Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), Assosa Agricultural Research Center, Plant Breeder. P.O.Box, 265, Assosa, Ethiopia ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Article No.: 123118189 Type: Research DOI: 10.15580/GJAS.2019.1.123118189 In Ethiopia, maize is one of the most important and major strategic food crop among cereal. Hybrid maize varieties plays important role as the average yield of the country increased through time. The objectives of the study are to determine the correlation between grain yield and other agronomic parameters and to identify high yielding adapted hybrid maize varieties. Nineteen released hybrid maize varieties were evaluated at Kamash and Assosa area of western Ethiopia during the 2016 main season. Quantitative traits including phenology, disease, yield and yield component traits were evaluated using randomized complete block design with three replications. Analysis of variance revealed highly significant difference (p≤ 0.01) among genotypes for most of tested traits for both locations. These indicated presence of sufficient amount of variability among genotypes for the tested traits. Hybrid maize varieties Limu, Shone and BH546 showed the highest grain yield and significantly different from the standard check BH543 at Kamash location. At Assosa maize hybrids Viz. Abarya, Shone, BH546 and BH547 revealed highest yield performance. Therefore, demonstration and popularization of these varieties could boost maize yield in the area. Positive significant correlation of grain yield were observed with days to maturity and fresh ear weight at Kamash location and with plant height, ear height and fresh ear weight at Assosa location. Negative significant correlation of yield with gray leaf spot and Turcicum leaf blight disease were observed under both locations. Selection for higher fresh ear weight, late maturity, longer plant and ear height simultaneously could result yield improvement in maize. Submitted: 31/12/2018 Accepted: 11/01/2019 Published: 31/01/2019 *Corresponding Author Firezer Girma Kebede E-mail: firezer.girma@ yahoo.com Phone: +251-920496514 Keywords: Correlation; Hybrid maize; Yield performance Return to Content View [Full Article – PDF] [Full Article – HTML] [Full Article – EPUB] Post-Publication Peer-review Rundown View/get involved, click [Peer-review] REFERENCES Abera, W., Hussein, S., Derera, J., Worku, M. and Laing, M.D., 2013. 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